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Masayoshi Son says AI regulation is necessary to sustain healthy industry growth, but he also warns against rules that impede innovation. In a TIME interview published February 24, 2026, the SoftBank Group chairman and CEO put the boundary plainly: “We cannot let AI innovate in a way that is harmful to human beings.” He paired that warning with a call for “the right balance” in supporting and accelerating innovation.
What did Masayoshi Son say about AI safety?
In his February 24, 2026 TIME interview and profile, Son said AI regulation is “necessary” for healthy industry growth. His remarks combine two positions: AI should not be allowed to harm people, and governance should preserve the ability to innovate.
“We cannot let AI innovate in a way that is harmful to human beings.”
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Son immediately qualified the warning: “You have to have the right balance of supporting, accelerating innovation.” The caution is therefore not a call to stop AI development. It is a call for regulation that addresses harm while allowing progress.
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How Son’s 2025 message framed the risk
In a separate primary-source statement, Son made a related point in the CEO message of SoftBank Group Report 2025, signed June 27, 2025. He wrote: “When AI surpasses humans in its capabilities, if it does not possess empathy or care, it could pose significant risks.”
That message discusses the prospect of artificial superintelligence (ASI) and the importance of empathy, care, and partnership between people and AI. It expresses a concern about values and risk; it does not set out a technical safety plan or specific regulatory proposals. The message was published by SoftBank Group Corp., not SoftBank Corp.
Why the caution stands out
Son is also a forceful advocate for AI’s transformative and commercial potential. TIME’s profile presents his safety remarks alongside his broader optimism, so the comments are best understood as a qualification of his pro-AI position—not evidence that he has abandoned it.
His investment rhetoric makes that contrast especially visible. On July 14, 2026, the Associated Press reported Son’s estimate that almost $5 trillion in annual global investment would be needed for AI infrastructure. That is Son’s projection, not an independently verified forecast or an industry consensus figure. His support for large-scale investment and his call for safeguards are positions he holds together.
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What SoftBank’s AI ethics committee does—and does not show
A later company article offers context about AI governance, but its statements should not be attributed to Son. SoftBank Corp. said it established an AI Ethics Committee in April 2024. In an article published August 20, 2026, committee member Koji Sakuma described the difficulty of guaranteeing safety: “Given the black-box nature of many AI systems and the speed at which the technology is evolving, it’s unrealistic for any company to guarantee complete safety.”
The article discusses internal governance and employee AI literacy. It describes company practices, but by itself does not establish how effective those safeguards are. Sakuma’s warning also makes clear that the committee is not a promise of risk-free AI.
Quick Recap
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Reading Son’s remarks in context
- Son’s interview position: AI regulation is necessary, but should maintain a balance that supports innovation.
- Son’s stated concern: AI that exceeds human capabilities could pose significant risks without empathy or care.
- Company context: SoftBank Corp.’s committee and Sakuma’s comments are separate from Son’s interview and SoftBank Group CEO message.
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