OpenAI’s First Stargate Site to Hold Up to 400,000 Nvidia Chips

OpenAI’s Stargate Infrastructure Venture to Feature Massive AI Computing Power

First Data Centre Complex to Host 400,000 Nvidia AI Chips

The first data centre complex for OpenAI’s $100 billion Stargate infrastructure venture will have space for as many as 400,000 of Nvidia’s powerful artificial intelligence (AI) chips. If filled, this would make it one of the largest known clusters of AI computing power.

Construction Underway in Abilene, Texas

The construction of the site is expected to be completed by mid-2026, with a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts of power. The facility, located in the small Texas city of Abilene, will be developed by Crusoe, which is set to announce the next phase of development on Tuesday, March 18.

Stargate’s Goal: Providing Infrastructure for Advanced AI Models

The Stargate joint venture was unveiled by OpenAI, SoftBank Group, and Oracle at a White House event in January, with the goal of providing the physical infrastructure needed for more advanced AI models from the ChatGPT maker. OpenAI previously said Stargate will expand to as many as 10 sites around the country.

Oracle to Use Full Build for Stargate

Oracle has already agreed to use the Abilene location’s full build for Stargate, according to sources familiar with the matter. OpenAI currently plans to use roughly one gigawatt of capacity at the facility, one source said. Crusoe declined to comment on the site’s clients, while OpenAI and Oracle declined to comment.

Competition in AI Computing Power

Stargate joins a race among leading tech companies to build up capacity of Nvidia’s latest chips. Elon Musk’s xAI recently inked a $5 billion deal with Dell Technologies for AI servers for a supercomputer in Memphis. Meta Platforms has said it planned to have computing power equal to 600,000 Nvidia H100s by the end of 2024. CoreWeave, an AI-focused cloud provider, has more than 250,000 Nvidia graphics processing units across 32 data centres.

Construction Progress and Future Plans

Currently, there are about 2,000 people working on construction for the project, with plans for that to increase to nearly 5,000 workers. The facility will have eight data centre buildings, each designed to hold as many as 50,000 Nvidia GB200 semiconductors. The White House announcement gave the long-in-the-works project "tremendous credibility," according to Michael McNamara, CEO of energy startup Lancium.

Conclusion

The construction of OpenAI’s Stargate infrastructure venture in Abilene, Texas, marks a significant milestone in the development of AI computing power. With a capacity to host as many as 400,000 Nvidia AI chips, this facility has the potential to be one of the largest known clusters of AI computing power.

FAQs

Q: What is OpenAI’s Stargate infrastructure venture?
A: Stargate is a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank Group, and Oracle to provide physical infrastructure for advanced AI models.

Q: What is the capacity of the Abilene data centre complex?
A: The facility will have a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts of power.

Q: How many Nvidia AI chips will the facility be able to host?
A: The facility will have space for as many as 400,000 Nvidia AI chips.

Q: Who has agreed to use the Abilene location for Stargate?
A: Oracle has agreed to use the Abilene location’s full build for Stargate.