Tech titans Masayoshi Son (SoftBank) and Sam Altman (OpenAI) are spearheading the $500 billion Stargate AI infrastructure project, betting that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is imminent and will reshape global power dynamics. The initiative, announced by former President Donald Trump in January 2025, aims to build a network of colossal data centers across the U.S., starting with Texas, to meet OpenAI’s soaring demand for computing power.
The AGI Vision Driving Collaboration
Son and Altman’s partnership hinges on their shared conviction that AGI AI with human-level reasoning—will arrive “much earlier” than previously predicted. Son, who once forecasted AGI within two to three years, now believes it will emerge first in corporate environments, potentially understanding human emotions. Altman echoed this urgency, framing Stargate as foundational for OpenAI’s next leap: “Reasoning paves the way for AI agents that work independently for you”.
The project’s scale reflects this ambition. Stargate LLC, a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and others, plans to invest $100 billion initially, scaling to $500 billion by 2029 to build AI infrastructure exclusively for OpenAI.
Stargate’s Infrastructure Blueprint:
- Expansion Across 16 States: OpenAI is evaluating 16 U.S. states—including Texas, Arizona, and Pennsylvania—for data center campuses, each requiring ~1 gigawatt of power. The goal is 5–10 campuses, with the first already under construction in Abilene, Texas.
- Energy Dilemmas: While the Texas site leverages wind and solar, concerns linger over environmental impacts. Data centers consume 50x more energy per square foot than offices, and cooling demands could strain water resources.
- Job Creation vs. Reality: Though OpenAI touts “thousands of jobs” per campus, the Abilene facility initially lists just 57 roles, highlighting gaps between rhetoric and execution.
U.S.-China AI Race Intensifies
OpenAI’s VP Chris Lehane framed Stargate as a geopolitical battleground: “The winner of the AI infrastructure race will shape the future”. With China’s DeepSeek gaining traction, the U.S. aims to counterbalance through Trump’s fast-tracked energy permits and executive orders to expedite construction.
Deep Research: A Step Toward AGI
On February 2, OpenAI launched “Deep Research,” an AI agent capable of completing multi-step analytical tasks in 5–30 minutes—work that takes humans hours. Altman called it a milestone toward AGI, though critics likened its early version to “a child’s scribble” compared to future advancements.
Critics and Challenges
- Funding Skepticism: Elon Musk dismissed Stargate’s financing as insufficient, though SoftBank and OpenAI have each committed $19 billion.
- Regulatory Uncertainty: Trump repealed Biden-era AI safety rules, prioritizing speed over safeguards despite risks like job displacement and misinformation.
Stargate represents a high-stakes gamble on AGI’s arrival, blending Son’s financial muscle with Altman’s technical vision. While its success could cement U.S. dominance in AI, the project’s environmental and societal costs loom large—a tension that will define the “golden age” Trump and Son envision.
