OpenAI and SoftBank Invest $1 Billion in SB Energy for AI Data Center Expansion
OpenAI and SoftBank are injecting $500 million each into SB Energy, totaling $1 billion, to accelerate AI data center infrastructure. The joint venture will develop OpenAI’s 1.2-gigawatt facility in Milam County, Texas—a project initially unveiled in September 2025 under the $500 billion Stargate initiative endorsed by former President Trump.
SB Energy, backed by SoftBank and Ares Management, will operate the Texas site while adopting OpenAI’s APIs and ChatGPT for internal use. First-phase deployments from SB Energy’s multi-gigawatt campuses are slated for 2026, signaling intensified competition in AI infrastructure among tech giants.