OpenAI Explores 16 States for AI Data Centers Under Stargate Initiative

The $500 billion Trump-backed Stargate project aims to advance U.S. AI infrastructure with large-scale data centers and energy solutions.

OpenAI, in partnership with Oracle and SoftBank, is spearheading the Stargate AI-infrastructure initiative with an expected investment of up to $500 billion over four years.
The company has identified 16 U.S. states for potential data center campuses and has already begun construction in Abilene, Texas.
Each data center campus is designed to support one gigawatt of power or more and is expected to create thousands of jobs, though initial projections for some sites suggest fewer roles.
Stargate's focus includes addressing the environmental impact of data centers, with OpenAI exploring energy partnerships and water-efficient designs for cooling systems.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to maintain U.S. leadership in AI development amid increasing competition from China, highlighted by the rapid success of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.