Key Insights
- The Ohio campus would be larger than the combined planned capacity of Open ai’s current Stargate network.
- Nvidia may play a financing role in addition to supplying AI hardware and systems.
- Access to power generation is becoming as important as access to advanced semiconductors.
OpenAI is in advanced discussions to lease a massive artificial intelligence data center campus in southern Ohio that could become the largest AI computing facility ever planned. The proposed development would provide 10 gigawatts of computing capacity and could cost more than $500 billion when fully built.
The project is expected to be developed by SB Energy, a SoftBank-controlled company, on Department of Energy land at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Pike County, Ohio. Nvidia is expected to supply AI hardware and may also support financing arrangements tied to the development.
Ohio Project Sets New Benchmark for AI Infrastructure
The planned Ohio campus would introduce a new scale for AI infrastructure development. With 10 gigawatts of capacity, the facility would exceed the combined planned capacity of OpenAI’s existing Stargate network, which spans seven locations across several US states.
The project would also surpass major data center markets currently operating worldwide. Northern Virginia, often regarded as the largest data center hub globally, had around 5 gigawatts of capacity in 2025. The proposed Ohio site would be roughly double that figure if completed as planned.
Under the proposed structure, OpenAI would lease the campus for 20 years and maintain control over the computing equipment installed at the site. Lease payments would begin once commercial operations start, with the first phase currently expected to come online in 2028.
Key facts
- The planned capacity for 10 gigawatts.
- Cost of the project estimated to be >$500 billion
- The first operational phase is scheduled for 2028.
- Twenty-year lease structure
- SB Energy are the development leaders for the project.
Nvidia’s move from a hardware supplier to a software powerhouse.
But there might be more on the Nvidia front, in terms of the company’s role in the project, not just in providing chips and AI systems. The company is reportedly looking into financial guarantees for the lease commitments of Open ai and SB Energy’s project financing.
This is an unusual move for Nvidia, according to industry watchers.While the company has previously expressed interest in supporting financing for customers building AI infrastructure, it has not publicly backed a project of this magnitude through direct guarantees.
The companies reportedly signed a letter of intent in 2025 covering at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia-powered systems. Once the capacity is there Nvidia is also going to invest heavily once more.
The first gigawatt was supposed to be an installation of Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform in the second half of 2026.
Future growth is expected to be sustainable with the growth demand.
The proposed development is indicative of the growing demand for AI computing resources. Industry executives have been saying time and time again that they are still short of model training and inference.
OpenAI has invested heavily in expanding access to computing infrastructure as competition among AI developers intensifies. The company currently works with infrastructure partners that include Oracle, Microsoft, SoftBank, CoreWeave, and Nvidia.
The Ohio project would allow the company to secure a large portion of future computing capacity under its direct control rather than relying entirely on third-party cloud providers.
At the same time, power availability has become a major factor in data center development decisions. Plans for the site include approximately 10 gigawatts of power generation, including at least 9.2 gigawatts from natural gas facilities.
Financial Questions and Market Implications
This scale presents the growing expense of creating sophisticated AI infrastructure. Reports suggest OpenAI could face lease obligations worth tens of billions of dollars over the life of the agreement.
The company is also reportedly evaluating financing options for future chip and server purchases. Some estimates indicate additional capital may be required to secure enough infrastructure to support long-term growth plans.
Meanwhile, OpenAI has confidentially filed paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a future initial public offering. The company has stated that no decision has been made regarding the timing of a public listing.
The infrastructure initiative and possible public offering exemplify a trend throughout the entire AI industry, where businesses are facing the challenge of raising capital and getting access to more computing power as their models become more complex.
Conclusion
The proposed Ohio campus is one of the largest infrastructure investments for AI projects announced so far. The development, if completed, would set a new standard for compute power, and further bond OpenAI, Nvidia, and SoftBank.The deal’s finalization, financing terms, and the timeline for the launch of the first phase (planned for 2028) will be closely watched by investors and industry players.
