OpenAI to lease massive Ohio AI data center backed by Nvidia
OpenAI plans to lease a massive artificial intelligence data center in Ohio for 20 years, a deal backed by a $105 billion financing commitment from Nvidia. The facility, to be built on a former uranium enrichment plant site, is planned to begin with 4.25 gigawatts of capacity and could expand to 8 GW, potentially making it the world's largest single AI data center. SoftBank and SB Energy will invest over $4 billion in local energy infrastructure and build 10 GW of new power generation for the project.
OpenAI is set to lease a vast artificial intelligence data center in Ohio for two decades, a deal supported by a $105 billion financing commitment from Nvidia, according to a recent regulatory filing. The facility will be constructed on the site of a former Cold War-era uranium enrichment plant and is projected to start with 4.25 gigawatts of capacity, with potential expansion to 8 GW, positioning it as potentially the world's largest single AI data center. The entire facility will operate exclusively on Nvidia chips.
SoftBank and SB Energy, the site's owner, are slated to invest over $4 billion in local energy infrastructure and develop at least 10 GW of new power generation to supply the project. Nvidia is also making a separate $1.5 billion investment in SB Energy. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that this Ohio project represents a significant expansion of the company's computing infrastructure, intended to support millions of AI users.
OpenAI anticipates the project will create approximately 35,000 temporary construction jobs over six years and 2,500 permanent operating jobs. This development comes as communities nationwide increasingly resist large data centers due to their substantial electricity and water consumption, with a recent Gallup poll indicating strong public opposition to data centers near homes. Rising electricity costs, partly attributed to data center expansion, have also become a political concern, though OpenAI and SB Energy commit to covering project energy and infrastructure costs without burdening local residents. The project is part of a broader AI infrastructure race, including OpenAI, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Oracle's multiyear $500 billion Stargate initiative.