On Tuesday, OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank jointly announced plans to build five new AI data centers in the United States as part of their $500 billion Stargate project. This major private-sector infrastructure initiative, aimed at accelerating AI development, has garnered global attention for its sheer scale.
According to the latest plan, OpenAI will collaborate with Oracle to build three new data centers in Shackleford County, Texas, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, and an undisclosed location in the Midwest. OpenAI will also partner with SoftBank and its affiliates to build two new data centers in Lordstown, Ohio, and Milam County, Texas. Together with the existing expansion project in Abilene, Texas, Stargate will reach nearly 7 gigawatts of data center capacity over the next three years, attracting over $400 billion in investment. The project's ultimate goal is to reach 10 gigawatts, with a maximum total investment of $500 billion (approximately 3.56 trillion yuan).
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized in a statement: "For AI to deliver on its promise, we must build the computing power to power it." This statement highlights the importance of computing infrastructure to AI development. Notably, Nvidia recently announced plans to invest up to $100 billion (approximately 711.491 billion RMB) in OpenAI and supply chips for its data centers. According to sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI and its partners plan to lease chips through debt financing to support the Stargate project.
Officials estimate that the construction of these new data centers will create approximately 25,000 local jobs. This massive infrastructure project will not only boost the development of the US AI industry but also have a profound impact on the global tech landscape.
