Oracle and OpenAI agree on a project to construct a colossal Stargate data center, capable of powering 2 million AI chips. SoftBank, traditionally a Stargate partner, is not participating in this specific project.
The tech giants, OpenAI and Oracle, have announced plans to expand the Stargate project by building new data center infrastructure with a power capacity of 4.5 gigawatts (GW) in the United States. This move aims to address the critical challenge of providing enough electricity to operate large-scale AI servers, cooling, and networking equipment.
The new facilities, expected to be built in states such as Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, are anticipated to create over 100,000 jobs related to construction, specialized electricians, technicians, and operational roles. This expansion supports the U.S.'s reindustrialization and AI leadership ambitions.
The Stargate project, a partnership between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, is part of OpenAI's commitment to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure over four years, with a goal of reaching a total of 10 GW of capacity. Construction is already underway at several locations, including the Abilene, Texas, facility (Stargate I), where some parts are operational, including the use of Nvidia GB200 computing racks.
However, detailed specifics about the power sources or grid enhancements to meet the electricity demand have not been disclosed publicly. The Abilene facility (Stargate I) is not currently part of the infrastructure that OpenAI claims will enable its data centers to power over two million AI processors.
It's also worth noting that SoftBank is not involved in financing this buildout, despite being part of the Stargate project. Similarly, SoftBank is not involved in the operations of the Abilene facility (Stargate I).
The Abilene facility (Stargate I) serves as a proof-of-concept for OpenAI, and lessons learned from it will help with the execution of subsequent sites. However, OpenAI has not disclosed whether the infrastructure is meant to support 1.4 kW Blackwell Ultra processors or 3.6 kW Rubin Ultra processors.
The expanded infrastructure of 5 GW will enable OpenAI's data centers to power over two million AI processors, primarily for AI training and inference workloads. This move reinforces OpenAI's commitment to driving advancements in AI technology and its ambition to lead in the AI industry.
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- The expansion of the Stargate project, driven by OpenAI and Oracle, will involve significant investment in data-and-cloud-computing technology as they aim to build new infrastructure with a 4.5GW power capacity.
- The new data centers, once operational, are expected to stimulate job creation in various technology sectors, supporting the US's reindustrialization and AI leadership ambitions.
