πππ§ππ«πNvidia is making another major move to secure the infrastructure behind the global AI boom, agreeing to invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy, a SoftBank subsidiary developing a massive data centre in Ohio for OpenAI.
The planned facility in Pike County, Ohio, is expected to reach up to 8 gigawatts of capacity, with the first 800 megawatts targeted to come online in 2028. OpenAI is expected to lease the site for 20 years, while Nvidia will be the facilityβs exclusive chip provider.
Nvidia has also committed to providing up to $105 billion in guarantees connected to the project, covering elements including lease and power payments and helping secure the long-term infrastructure.
The scale of the project highlights how the AI race is rapidly becoming an infrastructure race, with massive requirements for computing power, electricity, land and data-centre capacity.
SoftBank and SB Energy also plan to develop at least 10 gigawatts of new power generation, alongside approximately $4.2 billion in regional grid infrastructure. The project is expected to generate around 35,000 construction jobs and 2,500 long-term operating positions.
The deal also illustrates Nvidiaβs evolving role beyond being a chip supplier β increasingly becoming a strategic financier and infrastructure partner in the AI ecosystem.
