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SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire semiconductor designer Ampere Computing LLC for $6.5 billion in an all-cash deal, further expanding the Japanese investment firm’s focus on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The transaction, confirmed in a joint statement on Wednesday, will see Ampere continue to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary, retaining its name and headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Oracle Corp. and Carlyle Group Inc., early investors in Ampere, will sell their stakes as part of the deal, which is expected to close in the second half of 2025.

Ampere, founded by former Intel Corp. executive Renee James, designs processors for data center machinery, including technology used by SoftBank’s Arm Holdings, which it owns a majority stake in. In 2021, SoftBank had valued Ampere at over $8 billion when exploring a minority investment in the company. 

“We are thrilled to join SoftBank Group and collaborate with its portfolio of leading tech companies,” said Renee James, Ampere’s CEO. “This partnership will help propel our AmpereOne roadmap for high-performance Arm processors and AI.”

The semiconductor market has grown more competitive, with large tech firms racing to develop similar products to those made by Ampere. By acquiring the company, SoftBank gains access to one of the few large teams designing advanced chips for data centers not already tied to another company. This acquisition positions SoftBank to capitalize on the growing demand for AI infrastructure and advance its own product offerings, even through Arm.

Ampere, along with other companies that have tried to leverage Arm technology—dominant in mobile phones—to break into the data center chip market, has stood out by being more power-efficient, a crucial advantage as large data centers struggle with energy consumption.

Arm, seeking to move beyond providing technology layers, aims to offer complete solutions at a higher price point. Ampere’s integration into a larger organization will provide the company with more resources and access to a broader customer base, improving the economics of chip design. 

“The future of artificial superintelligence requires breakthrough computing power,” said SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son. “Ampere’s expertise in semiconductors and high-performance computing will accelerate this vision and deepen our commitment to AI innovation in the US.”

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