SoftBank Commits $3B to OpenAI Data Center Venture in Ohio
SoftBank Group is channeling up to $3 billion into repurposing a defunct Ohio EV plant into a modular data center production hub for OpenAI. The facility, slated for operational readiness by early 2026, will supply infrastructure for projects like OpenAI's $3 billion Texas data center cluster.
The investment solidifies a January-announced partnership where both firms initially pledged $18 billion each. While OpenAI's full commitment remains uncertain, SoftBank maintains its position as anchor investor. This vertical integration play allows OpenAI to reduce reliance on Microsoft's Azure cloud while co-developing custom server chips with Broadcom.
Parallel to infrastructure buildout, OpenAI continues securing hyperscale cloud commitments exceeding $600 billion from Microsoft and Amazon—a dual-pronged strategy balancing proprietary capacity with leased resources.
