OpenAI Accelerates Data Center Expansion with Stargate Buildout Led by Meta Alum
OpenAI is rapidly expanding its Stargate data centers across the U.S., led by ex-Meta executive Keith Heyde, focusing on power access and strategic partnerships to support advanced AI model training.
- • Keith Heyde, formerly of Meta, leads OpenAI's nationwide data center expansion.
- • OpenAI is evaluating about 20 advanced sites focusing on power and community support.
- • A 17-gigawatt Stargate buildout is planned with Nvidia, Oracle, and SoftBank.
- • Energy needs include solar, gas turbine refurbishments, and potentially nuclear power.
- • The expansion aims to maintain competitive advantage and safeguard intellectual property.
Key details
Keith Heyde, a former Meta executive, is spearheading OpenAI's ambitious expansion of its data center infrastructure across the United States, aimed at supporting the training of large language models. Since January, Heyde and his team have reviewed proposals from roughly 800 sites, narrowing down to about 20 advanced-stage locations primarily in the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast regions. The selection criteria focus heavily on access to reliable power, scalability, community support, available labor, and local government cooperation rather than just tax incentives. Heyde highlighted the massive energy demands involved, noting that a gigawatt-level data center can consume power equivalent to entire cities.
OpenAI's data center expansion, known as the Stargate buildout, is planned to reach a massive 17-gigawatt capacity in partnership with hardware suppliers such as Nvidia, Oracle, and SoftBank. The company intends to incorporate diverse energy sources, including solar, refurbished gas turbines, and potentially small modular nuclear reactors, to meet power needs sustainably.
This infrastructure expansion is critical for OpenAI to control its hardware foundation, reduce operational costs, and safeguard its intellectual property as it competes with major tech rivals like Meta and Amazon, who are also ramping up AI infrastructure. Heyde noted the intense competition for prime data center sites but expressed strong confidence in overcoming these challenges. OpenAI aims to ensure a robust industrial backbone to support its AI ambitions, particularly its goals toward artificial general intelligence (AGI).
The buildout reflects OpenAI's strategic emphasis on infrastructure ownership to sustain its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. As Heyde put it, “The enormity of the power requirements challenges us, but it is achievable,” underscoring OpenAI’s commitment to shaping the future of AI through solid, scalable infrastructure.