A Texas Megaproject Signals the Future of AI Computing

In the heart of the Texas prairie, OpenAI has unveiled its bold vision for a global expansion of AI computing power, with a staggering $1 trillion infrastructure build-out that could reshape the future of artificial intelligence. At the center of this initiative is a sprawling 1,100-acre complex in Abilene, Texas, about 180 miles west of Dallas, which is being developed as the world’s largest AI supercomputing hub. The project, which has already transformed the landscape with eight hyper-modern data centers, is expected to generate nearly 900 megawatts of computing capacity, enough to power almost a million homes.

The development comes on the heels of a $100 billion partnership with Nvidia, which has bolstered OpenAI’s financial credibility and silenced skeptics about its ability to sustain such a massive undertaking. OpenAI executives emphasized that the Abilene site is just the beginning, with plans to expand computing capacity to over 20 gigawatts—roughly the equivalent of the GDP of Japan or Germany—to meet the soaring demand for ChatGPT, which now boasts over 700 million weekly users.

In addition to the Abilene site, OpenAI, in collaboration with Oracle and SoftBank, has announced five new data-center locations across the U.S. These facilities are expected to bring online nearly 7 gigawatts of power, with further expansions planned to reach up to 100 gigawatts in the future. The infrastructure boom, while promising to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and revive American manufacturing, has also sparked concerns about environmental impact and resource usage in local communities.

The Abilene complex, which is being built with the help of Oracle, is already a marvel of modern engineering. The site has seen frenzied construction, with more than 6,000 workers laboring on the project in two 10-hour shifts, seven days a week. The landscape, once a sea of red dirt, now features grey towers of gas turbines providing backup power. Each data center is equipped with cutting-edge Nvidia GB200 chips, with each unit valued at roughly the cost of a base model Tesla Model 3. The site also includes extensive fiber-optic networks to ensure high-speed communication between the AI chips.

OpenAI and Oracle have taken security seriously, installing cameras on each server rack to prevent unauthorized access to the facility. The project has also drawn attention for its unique cultural elements, such as a buggy flying a flag that reads “Jesus Is the Answer.”

As OpenAI moves forward, the company remains focused on the long-term vision of AI’s potential to deliver immense societal value. “I don’t think we’ve figured out yet the final form of what financing for compute looks like,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. “But I assume, like in many other technological revolutions, figuring out the right answer to that will unlock a huge amount of value delivered to society.”

The project has also drawn mixed reactions from local communities. Abilene Mayor Weldon W. Hurt expressed “mixed feelings” about the site’s power and water usage, though some concerns have been addressed. Still, the city has embraced the opportunity, with officials welcoming the influx of investment and jobs. “We are a railroad town,” Hurt said. “We have Western heritage, but we are open to progress, always.”

The Abilene site includes a first completed data center, called Building 1, which is larger than two Walmart Supercenters. Entering the facility has a feel akin to boarding a plane, with a constant whir of fans. Rows upon rows of server racks fill the complex, all holding 72 Nvidia GB200s. Electronic devices are not allowed inside the facility, and alarms ring out if the door guarding the data hall housing the Nvidia chips stays open too long.

OpenAI has also announced a partnership with SoftBank and Oracle to build two additional smaller sites—one in Lordstown, Ohio, and the other near Austin, Texas—over the next 18 months. These will generate an additional 1.5 gigawatts of power, bringing the total to 7 gigawatts from the initial five sites.

The project is part of a broader initiative called Stargate, a $500 billion data-center project announced in January alongside President Trump at the White House, which aims to support “the re-industrialization of the United States.” However, the reality is more nuanced. While data centers provide plentiful temporary construction jobs, far fewer people are needed once they are built. Abilene Mayor Weldon W. Hurt noted that the data-center complex is located almost 6 miles from the city’s downtown, giving it an “invisible presence” in the local community.

As the world watches, OpenAI’s expansion into AI infrastructure may very well define the next era of technological advancement, with implications that stretch far beyond the Texas plains. The company’s vision is not just about computing power—it’s about shaping the future of artificial intelligence and its role in society.