Nvidia is reportedly in discussions to provide around $250 billion in financing guarantees to OpenAI for a massive artificial intelligence data centre project planned in southern Ohio.
The proposed financial backstop would support OpenAI’s lease and debt-financing obligations for a 10-gigawatt computing facility being developed by SoftBank’s energy subsidiary, SB Energy. The guarantee could strengthen lender confidence and help OpenAI secure more favourable financing terms for the project.
The development is expected to cost more than $500 billion in total, including the Nvidia chips required to power the facility. The proposed $250 billion guarantee would cover the data centre lease and associated debt financing but would not include the cost of the chips installed at the site.
Separately, Nvidia is reportedly discussing potential financing of up to $350 billion for OpenAI’s purchases of its artificial intelligence processors. If completed, the arrangement would secure substantial long-term demand for Nvidia’s chips as OpenAI expands the computing infrastructure required to train and operate increasingly advanced AI models.
For OpenAI, the project could mark an important step towards gaining greater control over its computing infrastructure. The company currently relies heavily on cloud and infrastructure capacity supplied by technology companies including Microsoft, Amazon and Oracle.
The planned facility would require approximately 10 gigawatts of electricity, making it one of the world’s largest proposed AI computing developments. Its initial phase is expected to provide around 800 megawatts of capacity and is targeted for completion in 2028.
The electricity supply for the project is controlled by the US government, while Japan is expected to help fund associated power infrastructure under a recent trade agreement. Other technology companies, including Anthropic, Microsoft and Google, have also reportedly expressed interest in securing capacity at the location.
The discussions remain ongoing, and no final agreement has been announced by Nvidia, OpenAI or SoftBank. The proposal nevertheless highlights the growing scale of capital required to develop AI infrastructure and Nvidia’s expanding role in supporting the financing as well as the computing technology behind large-scale AI projects.
