SoftBank's $500B AI data center plan kicks off in Ohio

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced a colossal $500 billion investment to establish an AI data center campus in Piketon, Ohio, in March 2026. This project is poised to be the largest construction endeavor in US history and is anticipated to provide a substantial boost to America's leadership in artificial intelligence. The facility is projected to demand an immense amount of power, equivalent to the needs of 7.5 million homes, which will be supplied by a $33 billion natural gas infrastructure distributed across the region. Beyond its technological implications, the development is expected to spur job creation and significant upgrades to local infrastructure in Ohio. This ambitious undertaking aligns with a broader $550 billion U.S.-Japan investment program aimed at securing a leading position in AI globally and counterbalancing China's growing influence. The US administration is reportedly urging tech companies to commit to covering infrastructure expenses related to such developments, highlighting the strategic importance of projects like SoftBank's data center.