OpenAI and Oracle Unveil 1 GW Stargate Data Center in Michigan as Part of $450B AI Infrastructure Push
OpenAI and Oracle are advancing their $450 billion U.S. AI infrastructure plan with a new 1 GW Stargate data center in Saline Township, Michigan. Construction begins in early 2026, pending regulatory approvals, and will create 2,500+ union jobs. The developers will fully fund grid upgrades, shielding taxpayers from costs.
The Michigan facility joins five other Stargate campuses across Texas, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Collectively, these projects will deliver over 8 GW of computing capacity—a staggering energy footprint underscoring AI's escalating infrastructure demands. Regulatory hurdles and local opposition, however, could delay the timeline.
This expansion solidifies Michigan's role in the AI economy while highlighting the sector's voracious appetite for power. The scale mirrors the crypto mining boom of the 2020s, where energy-intensive operations reshaped regional grids and labor markets.
