Stargate: A Historic Leap for AI
At a recent White House briefing, former President Donald Trump announced Stargate, a groundbreaking $500 billion initiative in artificial intelligence. Joined by tech leaders Masayoshi Son (SoftBank), Sam Altman (OpenAI), and Larry Ellison (Oracle), Trump highlighted the project’s scale, describing it as the largest AI infrastructure initiative in history. Stargate will establish a network of state-of-the-art data centers across the United States, aiming to support next-generation AI technologies while creating 100,000 jobs.
Construction has already begun on the first gigawatt data center in Abilene, Texas, marking the start of a transformative era for AI infrastructure.
A Collaborative Vision Backed by Billions
Stargate is a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, with technological support from partners like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm. The project’s primary goal is to develop the “physical and virtual infrastructure” required to support cutting-edge AI systems. SoftBank will handle financing, while OpenAI oversees operations. Masayoshi Son will serve as the chairman of Stargate.
Initial funding of $100 billion has been allocated to kickstart the project, with plans to raise the remaining $400 billion over the next four years. The Middle Eastern MGX fund, which previously invested in OpenAI, will support SoftBank’s financing efforts.
The plan includes building 20 data centers, each spanning approximately 46,500 square meters, in addition to the already-underway Texas facility, which will cover 92,900 square meters.
Economic and Strategic Impact
Oracle emphasized that Stargate will bolster U.S. leadership in AI, contribute to reindustrialization, and enhance national security. The initiative also aims to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs and offer significant economic benefits globally. Notably, this project aligns with other large-scale investments in U.S. data centers, such as the $20 billion commitment from UAE-based DAMAC earlier this month.
During the press conference, Son and Altman credited Trump’s election victory as the key factor enabling Stargate’s realization, underscoring the administration’s pivotal role in facilitating such ambitious initiatives.
