SoftBank's Masayoshi Son says he's worried about AI safety, urges global teamwork

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has long been one of AI's most passionate supporters. But at a recent tech forum in Kyoto, Japan, he admitted that even he is deeply worried about the safety risks that come with AI's rapid progress.

Speaking alongside White House tech policy advisor Michael Kratsios, Son said AI's explosive growth makes it urgent for countries to build mutual trust. He stressed that nations must join hands to tackle threats from powerful AI models, as superintelligence in the wrong hands would be extremely dangerous.

As a core investor in OpenAI, Son has put nearly $65 billion into the company. With AI security incidents happening frequently in recent months, his unusually cautious words reflect growing industry concerns. He also predicts AI and self-learning machines will make up at least 20% of global GDP by 2040, worth about $46 trillion.