OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI tool ChatGPT, is expanding its data center network across the United States to power its artificial intelligence technology. The company is looking to build a network of huge data centers in 16 states, including Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with plans to invest $100 billion to $500 billion in the project, dubbed Stargate.
The project was announced by President Donald Trump, who touted it as a “resounding declaration of confidence in America’s potential” under his new administration. The project is a joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank, and is expected to create large-scale data centers and energy generation to further AI development.
The company has put out a request for proposals for land, electricity, engineers, and architects, and has begun visiting locations in the identified states. The data centers will require significant energy and water resources, which AI uses to train and process vast amounts of data. While OpenAI’s proposal makes no mention of prioritizing renewable energy sources like wind or solar, the company is working with local partners that are already investing in renewable energy.
For example, the company’s partner, Crusoe, is building a data center campus in Abilene, Texas, which will be powered by wind and solar energy, with a gas-fired generator for backup power. The company’s CEO, Chase Lochmiller, believes that the Trump administration will be pragmatic in supporting wind-powered data centers, given their cost-effectiveness.
OpenAI’s plan is to build “somewhere between five to 10” data centers, depending on their size, and is expected to consume between 6.7% to 12% of total U.S. electricity by 2028. The company’s previous reliance on Microsoft for its computing needs has been replaced by a new partnership that enables OpenAI to pursue data center development on its own. The expansion is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the selected states, creating thousands of jobs and stimulating local economies.