SoftBank CEO questions Elon Musk's plan for AI data centers in space

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said at the company's shareholder meeting he isn't convinced AI data centers belong in orbit. "What's the point? What's the benefit of building AI data center in space?" he asked, arguing that lower electricity costs alone would not justify the complexity of operating data centers in orbit.

A SoftBank translation of his remarks said electricity makes up about 7% of operating costs for AI infrastructure, while chips and other expenses account for roughly 93%. Son warned that any savings from cheaper power would be offset by higher maintenance, networking, and latency costs, and that the economic and technical tradeoffs could take years to resolve.

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