President Trump’s initiative promises US AI leadership and substantial job creation.
President Donald Trump announced a $500 billion investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Dubbed Project Stargate, this initiative is a partnership between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank.
Trump, alongside executives from the three companies, unveiled the project. The corporate partners committed $100 billion upfront, with a further $400 billion anticipated over four years.
Trump called Stargate a significant undertaking and a testament to American potential, asserting it will solidify US dominance in the global AI race.
Oracle’s Larry Ellison confirmed that construction of the initial Stargate data centers in Texas has begun. Up to 20 centers, each covering half a million square feet, are planned to handle the immense computational needs of AI systems. Trump projected the creation of over 100,000 US jobs.
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, issued a statement naming Arm, Microsoft, and NVIDIA as key technology partners.
In 2023, reports surfaced of a joint Microsoft-OpenAI AI supercomputer project, also named ‘Stargate’, with an estimated $100 billion price tag. The connection between this earlier project and Trump’s new initiative remains unclear.
OpenAI stated its goal, alongside partners, is to develop AI, particularly Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), for the benefit of humanity.
AGI, a still-unrealized type of AI with broad capabilities, has been touted for its transformative potential, but also carries potential risks. Experts have voiced concerns about the technology’s implications.
Upon assuming office, Trump rescinded a 2023 executive order by President Biden aimed at mitigating AI risks.