Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group and artificial intelligence leader OpenAI have announced the formation of a joint venture, SB OpenAI Japan, marking a significant step in their deepening collaboration.

The 50-50 partnership was unveiled at the “Transforming Business through AI” event in Tokyo, featuring SoftBank Chief Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

At the event, Son, dramatically holding a shiny blue crystal ball, introduced “Cristal,” a new AI service designed to revolutionize business operations. Cristal will assist companies with planning, marketing, email management, and even decoding legacy source codes.

The service will initially be deployed within SoftBank’s own portfolio, including Arm, a leading semiconductor and software firm, and PayPay, a prominent Japanese electronic payment platform. SoftBank plans to invest $3 billion annually to integrate Cristal across its ecosystem.

“This will be superintelligence for the company. I’m so excited,” Son said, highlighting Cristal’s potential to transform corporate efficiency and innovation.

Altman unveiled OpenAI’s latest feature, “deep research,” which enables ChatGPT to perform complex tasks such as compiling detailed reports by rapidly scanning thousands of online sources. This feature will be available in Japanese, enhancing its utility for local businesses.

“This partnership with SoftBank will accelerate our vision for bringing transformative AI to some of the world’s most influential companies, starting with Japan,” Altman stated.