Nvidia eyes $250 billion financing guarantee for OpenAI's mega data centre: Report
New Delhi, July 27
US-based multinational technology company Nvidia is in talks to provide around $250 billion in financing guarantees to OpenAI as part of a massive artificial intelligence data centre project in the US, according to a report.
As per report published in The Wall Street Journal, the proposed backing would help the ChatGPT maker lease a 10-gigawatt data centre campus being developed by SoftBank's energy subsidiary in southern Ohio.
It further showed that the project is expected to cost more than $500 billion in total, including the Nvidia chips that will power the facility.
The proposed $250 billion guarantee would cover the data centre lease and debt financing but would not include the cost of the chips. Nvidia is also reportedly discussing financing OpenAI's chip purchases worth up to $350 billion.
For OpenAI, the deal would mark a significant step towards building and controlling its own AI infrastructure instead of relying on cloud providers such as Microsoft, Amazon and Oracle.
For Nvidia, the arrangement would help secure long-term demand for its AI chips, which are widely used to train and run advanced AI models.
The financing support is expected to strengthen investment vehicles designed to reassure lenders about the project's funding, the report added.
The first phase of the Ohio facility is expected to be completed by 2028 with about 800 megawatts of power capacity, it said.
The report also highlighted that power for the project is controlled by the US government and funded separately by Japan under a recent trade agreement linked to Tokyo's commitment to invest $33 billion in a natural gas plant.
Earlier this month, South Korean conglomerates and global technology companies, including Nvidia, agreed to explore a series of collaboration projects with a combined value of about $950 billion, according to a senior South Korean presidential official.
Among the proposed initiatives is a long-term agreement under which SK Group will supply around $750 billion worth of high-performance semiconductors to global technology firms, including Nvidia, presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom said during a media briefing.
The understanding was reached at a high-level meeting in San Francisco attended by leaders of major global technology companies and South Korea's leading business groups, including Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang also participated in the discussions, underscoring growing collaboration between AI developers and semiconductor companies to accelerate next-generation computing infrastructure.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone working in Indian IT, this is both exciting and concerning. While Nvidia and OpenAI push boundaries, we're still struggling with basic semiconductor self-reliance. At least we have the IndiaAI mission now, but we need much bigger bets.
Impressive numbers but I wonder about the environmental impact. A 10-gigawatt data centre?! That's like a small city's worth of power. Hope they're investing heavily in renewables alongside these chips.
Interesting how SoftBank and Japan are involved - shows this is becoming a geopolitical play as much as a tech one. India should forge similar partnerships. We have the talent but need the infrastructure backbone.
$500 billion total cost? That's more than India's entire annual defence budget! 😵 While I appreciate technological ambition, I hope this doesn't create a massive bubble. India should focus on practical AI applications like agriculture and healthcare first.
As a data scientist, I appreciate the scale but worry about consolidation of power. If OpenAI and Nvidia become too intertwined, it might stifle competition. The SK Group deal also raises eyebrows - $750 billion in chips? Monopoly concerns anyone?
This is fantastic for AI development! 🇮
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