President Trump's ambitious artificial intelligence initiative, the Stargate Project, has officially commenced construction in Abilene, Texas. Backed by a $500 million investment from tech giants like OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, this massive undertaking aims to establish a network of interconnected AI campuses, each with a power capacity exceeding 1 gigawatt – enough to energize at least 750,000 homes.
OpenAI, a key player in the project, confirmed the Abilene site's development and revealed that 16 other states are under consideration for future Stargate campuses. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer, emphasized the project's national significance and President Trump's active involvement in AI infrastructure discussions since 2024. He praised Texas's forward-thinking approach to AI, describing the state as a place that "thinks big, acts big, and builds big."
Stargate's initial rollout focuses on finalizing site selections, securing partnerships with state and local entities, developing economic impact models, ensuring sustainable power and water resources, and fostering collaborations with educational institutions to build thriving AI ecosystems around the campuses. A rigorous three-phase site selection process will assess locations based on power availability, size, water resources, workforce potential, and fiber optic connectivity.
OpenAI projects that each 1 GW supercomputer campus will create thousands of jobs directly, indirectly, and through induced economic activity. Direct jobs will encompass construction and operational roles, indirect effects will stem from the project's spending within the local economy, and induced effects will result from increased consumer spending driven by wages earned within the affected industries.
The project's importance is underscored by the rise of Chinese AI firms like DeepSeek, which has emerged as a potential competitor to leading U.S. AI companies. Lehane highlighted this competitive landscape, emphasizing the high stakes involved in the global AI race. He stressed that the outcome will determine whether the future of AI is democratic and open or autocratic and controlled, impacting the ability of Americans to benefit from this transformative technology.
OpenAI's Infrastructure and Economic Blueprints, released in November and January respectively, further demonstrate the company's commitment to building a robust AI ecosystem in the United States and maintaining a competitive edge against China.
