Nvidia Backs OpenAI's $100B+ AI Data Center in Ohio

Nvidia has committed to providing $105 billion in financing for OpenAI's massive new AI data center project, which will be built on a former uranium enrichment plant site in Ohio. The data center, expected to have 8 gigawatts of capacity when completed, will run exclusively on Nvidia chips and is part of the company's largest-ever supply chain guarantee.

The project has been met with skepticism from some quarters due to concerns about 'circular financing', which involves suppliers providing financial backing for their own projects. However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement that the deal represents 'a huge site' that will help millions of people use AI to do things they can only start to imagine today.

SoftBank and SB Energy, the owner of the data center's site, have committed to investing more than $4 billion into local energy infrastructure and building at least 10 GW of new energy generation to power the facility. OpenAI will also commit $40 million to support local priorities. The project is expected to create 35,000 temporary construction jobs over six years and 2,500 long-term operating jobs.