OpenAI and SoftBank Group have entered a strategic partnership with SB Energy, a SoftBank-owned energy and infrastructure developer, marked by a combined $1 billion investment—$500 million from each—to accelerate the creation of next-generation AI data center campuses under the massive Stargate initiative. As part of the collaboration, OpenAI has selected SB Energy to build and operate its previously announced 1.2 gigawatt data center site in Milam County, Texas, supporting the surging demand for AI compute capacity and energy infrastructure. “Partnering with SB Energy brings together their strength in data center infrastructure and energy development and OpenAI’s deep domain expertise in data center engineering. The result is a fast, reliable way to scale compute through large, highly optimized AI data centers,” said OpenAI co-founder and President Greg Brockman.
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SB Energy co-CEO Rich Hossfeld added that the partnership “accelerates our delivery of advanced AI data center campuses and associated energy infrastructure at the scale required to advance Stargate and secure America’s AI future.” The companies have also formed a non-exclusive preferred partnership to combine OpenAI’s data center design with SB Energy’s execution and energy delivery expertise, aiming to deliver scalable, cost-effective AI infrastructure while driving local job growth, workforce development, and grid modernization across communities.