OpenAI's ambitious plan: one trillion for AI infrastructure
This is the figure that, according to the Wsj, should be needed to realise the data centres that are deemed essential to support future demand for artificial intelligence
2' min read
2' min read
OpenAI, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, has charted a course that few would have dared to imagine: at least one trillion dollars to be invested in computing infrastructure, with the declared aim of supporting the race towards artificial intelligence. The figure, which has not been explicitly stated by the company but which - according to the WSJ - can be inferred from how many Giga Watts of power are considered necessary to support the future operation of Artificial Intelligence (Ai), reveals the extent of the transformation taking place. But along with the ambition come doubts and contradictions.
The Texan heart of the project
.In Abilene, Texas, in just over twelve months an expanse of red earth has become a monumental construction site. Eight data centres are under construction, gas turbine towers preside over the landscape and more than 6,000 workers are busy day and night. Once completed, the site will be the largest supercomputing complex in the world, capable of delivering around 900 megawatts.
The numbers are impressive: each rack houses 72 next-generation Nvidia Gpu's, each valued at as much as an electric car. Oracle manages the infrastructure, SoftBank participates as a co-financier, and Nvidia provides the technological core, after a $100 billion deal that should have dispelled doubts about OpenAI's financial strength. All in all, the current project - together with the one with CoreWeave - will bring the planned capacity of Stargate (OpenAi's facility) to almost 7 gigawatts and the total investment to over USD 400 billion within three years.
The unknown of financing
.That said, according to internal estimates, each additional gigawatt costs about USD 50 billion. With a requirement that could rise to 100 gigawatts in the coming years, the final bill is likely to touch 5 trillion. A volume of investment that no single private actor has ever tackled.
"We still haven't figured out how to finance this revolution," admitted the ceo Sam Altman, hinting that behind the enthusiasm remains a huge question: who will foot the bill and at what cost to the community?
