As it looks to extend beyond a flagship Texas location and look across 16 states to speed the Stargate project supported by President Donald Trump, OpenAI is exploring Oregon and 15 other states in preparation for building a network of massive data centers to power its artificial intelligence technology.
Although Texas will be the primary location, OpenAI also intends to construct in a number of other places. This week, it started touring sites in Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin following the release of a request for bids.
When asked what site it had suggested, Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, did not immediately reply. With companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, LinkedIn, Meta, Oracle, and Elon Musk’s social networking site X operating throughout the state, the data center sector is already very large.
Shortly after his return to the White House last month, Trump praised Stargate, a recently established joint venture involving OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank.
According to the alliance, it is spending $100 billion and eventually up to $500 billion to construct massive data centers and provide the energy required to further the development of AI. Although the first project in Abilene, Texas, has been in progress for months, Trump referred to the project as a resounding show of confidence in America’s potential under his new government.
In a legal battle with OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, Musk, a Trump adviser and ardent opponent of the business, has openly questioned the worth of Stargate’s investments.
Chris Lehane, vice president of global relations at OpenAI, told reporters Thursday that several states contacted the company about allowing more data centers following Trump’s declaration.
According to the company’s request for proposals, locations must be close to the water and electrical infrastructure.
Over $200 million in tax benefits are given to large tech businesses each year for their operations in Oregon. The state’s power consumption has skyrocketed due to the data centers, placing a strain on the regional power grid.
