SoftBank Group, led by founder Masayoshi Son, has announced a joint venture with health tech company Tempus to develop AI-powered personalized medical services in Japan. The partnership will begin with a focus on oncology, as cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Japan. This move highlights SoftBank’s broader emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI), with Son expressing his vision for a future featuring Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI).
Tempus, a US-based genomic testing and data analysis company, was founded by Eric Lefkofsky in 2015 after his wife’s battle with breast cancer. SoftBank invested $200 million in Tempus in April and holds a 50% stake in the joint venture. The company aims to bring its data-driven medical technology to Japan, providing genomic testing, medical data aggregation and analysis, and AI insights for personalized treatments and therapies.
SB Tempus, as the joint venture is called, will begin operations in August and plans to offer three medical services to hospitals using AI for data analysis. The company will collect and analyze patient genetic data from Japanese hospitals and universities to train AI patterns for personalized treatment recommendations. Currently, only 1% of patients in Japan have experience with genomic testing, compared to 30% in the United States. SB Tempus aims to bridge this gap and reach the same level of genomic testing access as the US.
In addition to expanding its services to other diseases such as neuropsychology, radiology, and cardiology, SoftBank has expressed interest in investing in Perplexity AI, a US-based AI company valued at $3 billion. This aligns with Son’s ambition to create an era of AI and demonstrates SoftBank’s commitment to investing in AI technologies.
SoftBank’s investment arm, Vision Fund, has faced losses recently, prompting a shift towards a more conservative investment strategy. However, with billions of dollars at its disposal, SoftBank is now prepared to fully embrace AI and make significant investments in the sector.
Overall, SoftBank’s joint venture with Tempus and its focus on AI in the medical industry demonstrate the company’s dedication to leveraging technology to improve healthcare outcomes. By harnessing the power of AI and data analysis, SB Tempus aims to provide personalized medical services and contribute to advancements in cancer treatment and other disease areas.