OpenAI Launches The Stargate Project
The Stargate Project is a new initiative aiming to invest $500 billion over four years to develop AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the U.S. The project will start with an immediate deployment of $100 billion.
Its goals include securing American leadership in AI, creating numerous jobs, and boosting the global economy. Additionally, it aims to support the re-industrialization of the U.S. and enhance national security for America and its allies.
Key initial investors in Stargate include SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. SoftBank and OpenAI are the main partners, with SoftBank handling finances and OpenAI managing operations. Masayoshi Son will serve as chairman.
The project has enlisted major technology partners such as Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and OpenAI. Construction is currently underway in Texas, with plans to explore more locations across the country for additional campuses.
Oracle, NVIDIA, and OpenAI will collaborate closely to build and operate the new computing system. This partnership builds on a long-standing collaboration between OpenAI and NVIDIA that began in 2016, as well as a newer alliance with Oracle. OpenAI will also continue its partnership with Microsoft, increasing its use of Azure for training advanced models and delivering innovative products.
The team is optimistic about advancing AI, particularly artificial general intelligence (AGI), to benefit humanity. They believe this initiative is crucial for enabling creative individuals to harness AI for positive outcomes.
Elon Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has expressed skepticism about the project’s funding, stating, “They don’t actually have the money.”
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 as a non-profit focused on AGI but resigned from the board in 2018 due to conflicts with his work at Tesla. Since then, OpenAI has shifted to a for-profit model, which Musk has criticized and even led to a lawsuit against the company, reflecting a complicated relationship between him and OpenAI.
