OpenAI is planning to build a massive new data center in India with a capacity of at least 1-gigawatt, according to a report by Bloomberg. The ChatGPT maker is reportedly scouting for local partners to set up the facility, which could mark the next step in its Stargate AI infrastructure agenda.
While the exact location and timeline of OpenAI’s new project are not yet certain, the AI startup could announce the new facility during a visit by CEO Sam Altman to India this month.
Reportedly, the industrial-scale data center could allow OpenAI to provide customized AI chatbots to users while also allaying fears of user data going outside of the country.
While talking about his visit to India in a post on X last month, Altman wrote, “i’m looking forward to visiting (India) next month. ai adoption in india has been amazing to watch–chatgpt users grew 4x in the past year–and we are excited to invest much more in india!”
OpenAI had first announced the Stargate project in January of this year, where it has partnered with SoftBank, Oracle, and Microsoft to build around 4.5 gigawatts of capacity in the US with a budget of about $500 billion.
The ChatGPT maker is also the primary anchor tenant for similar data center projects in Norway and the UAE.
OpenAI’s growing focus on India:
Notably, OpenAI has recently been growing its focus on India, which the company says is the second-largest market for ChatGPT worldwide. OpenAI had launched its ₹399/month ChatGPT Go subscription plan for India last month while also announcing plans of opening its first office in the country in New Delhi.
Ahead of the opening of the new office, OpenAI had also begun hiring in India, with at least three roles available to apply on the company’s careers section.
OpenAI has also partnered with the IndianAI Mission, which looks to build large and small language models within the country. The company had also recently partnered with the Ministry of Education in India to provide around 5,00,000 free ChatGPT licenses to students and educators in India.
“ChatGPT is now one of the most widely used learning tools in the world. Nowhere is this more true than in India, which is home to the largest student population on ChatGPT globally, with millions turning to it for homework help, exam prep, and to explore new ideas,” the company had said in a blog post last week.
