This is no small gamble. OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank are working on a plan so ambitious it borders on the extraordinary. They have unveiled an initiative to establish five massive AI data centers across the United States under the Stargate banner. The target is a $500 billion investment and an eventual 10 gigawatts of compute capacity.

The Abilene, Texas location is already in progress, and expansion is scaling up quickly. With the new sites, Stargate is projected to reach nearly 7 gigawatts of capacity and more than $400 billion in investment within the next few years.

The companies are pursuing dominance rather than modest growth.

Where the Mega-Sites Will Rise

The rollout is strategic and deliberate.

OpenAI and Oracle will build three new centers in Shackelford County, Texas; Dona Ana County, New Mexico; and a site in the Midwest that has not yet been disclosed.

OpenAI and SoftBank, through a SoftBank affiliate, will develop two additional centers in Lordstown, Ohio, and Milam County, Texas.

Further expansion is also planned around Abilene, Texas.

Even at this stage, the numbers are staggering. These five sites, combined with the ongoing Abilene work and partnerships such as CoreWeave, will bring Stargate close to 7 gigawatts of total capacity, with more growth still envisioned.

Why This Push Now? Stakes Are Monumental

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated that artificial intelligence can only fulfill its promise if the necessary compute infrastructure is built to support it. In other words, no matter how advanced the models become, they are meaningless without the foundation of compute power.

At the same time, Nvidia has committed up to $100 billion in support, providing chips and contributing to the infrastructure buildout.

To achieve this, the plan relies heavily on debt financing, with chips leased rather than owned outright. It is a risk, but one designed to maintain flexibility.

The construction phase alone is expected to create 25,000 onsite jobs, though only a small portion of these will convert into long-term roles.

Red Flags and Unanswered Questions

The project’s scale is immense, but vulnerabilities remain.

Funding a half-trillion-dollar venture through debt carries uncertainty. Market downturns or supply chain disruptions could destabilize the foundation.

Energy and cooling present another major challenge. These data centers will consume enormous amounts of power and demand extensive cooling systems, potentially straining local grids in remote areas. Analysts warn that the lack of electricity could become the silent bottleneck.

Regulatory hurdles are also unavoidable. Environmental impact, water usage, land permits, and community resistance will likely intensify. Announcing a vision on a national stage is one matter; navigating state-by-state execution is another.

Finally, flawless execution is critical. Selecting sites, acquiring land, accelerating construction, securing supply chains, attracting talent, and preventing cost overruns are all essential. A misstep in any area could undermine the vision.

What This Really Means

The companies are betting on scale as the decisive factor. Reaching the ten gigawatt target could position Stargate as the backbone of the AI era, the infrastructure driving every major model, startup, and research lab.

If successful, this expansion will redefine global AI infrastructure. If it fails, it may stand as one of the most dramatic overreaches in technology history.

Either way, this marks the beginning of an era defined by AI infrastructure competition.