SoftBank CEO sees $5 trillion yearly AI spend by 2040, AI agents to outnumber humans
SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son told Reuters at the company's Tokyo conference that artificial intelligence will require about $5 trillion (roughly 800 trillion yen) in yearly investment by 2040, a figure he dismissed as 'absurd' to label an AI bubble. He said AI could generate 20% of global GDP by then, justifying the spend. Son also forecast that AI data centres will need 3 terawatts of power—about 1.8 times today's global electricity consumption—starting with gas before nuclear fusion becomes dominant. Looking further ahead, he envisioned 100 trillion AI agents making autonomous decisions and communicating without human direction, ushering in an 'agent-centric' world where humans are no longer the dominant decision-makers. While Son dismissed bubble fears, global bodies such as the UN warn that AI is advancing faster than regulators can keep up, calling for coordinated rules.
For Nigerians, this signals both risk and opportunity: AI could reshape jobs in sectors like finance, agriculture and services, potentially accelerating the 'Japa' brain-drain if local talent cannot tap into AI-driven growth, but it also offers a chance to build home-grown AI solutions if investments in skills, reliable power and data infrastructure are made now. Policymakers, educators and entrepreneurs must decide whether to prepare Nigeria's workforce for an AI-centric economy or risk being left behind as the technology reshapes global markets.