NVIDIA and OpenAI have announced a landmark strategic partnership, with NVIDIA planning to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI to support the development of advanced AI data centers. This collaboration aims to meet the growing demands for AI tools like ChatGPT and the immense computing power required to run them. The agreement signifies a major step in the AI race, combining NVIDIA's expertise in AI and accelerated computing with OpenAI's leading role in AI research and deployment.

Under the terms of the agreement, OpenAI will deploy at least 10 gigawatts of NVIDIA systems for its next-generation AI infrastructure. This infrastructure will be used to train and run advanced AI models, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the field. The investment from NVIDIA will be progressive, with funds released as each gigawatt of computing power is deployed. The first phase, involving one gigawatt of NVIDIA systems, is slated for the second half of 2026, utilizing NVIDIA's upcoming Vera Rubin platform.

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, emphasized the long-standing collaboration between the two companies, noting that they have been pushing each other for a decade, from the first DGX supercomputer to the breakthrough of ChatGPT. He stated that this investment and infrastructure partnership mark the next leap forward, deploying 10 gigawatts to power the next era of intelligence. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that compute infrastructure will be the basis for the economy of the future, and the partnership with NVIDIA will enable new AI breakthroughs and empower people and businesses at scale.

The partnership extends beyond just NVIDIA and OpenAI, involving collaborations with a broader network of partners, including Microsoft, Oracle, SoftBank, and Stargate partners. These collaborations aim to build the world's most advanced AI infrastructure, providing the robust compute and networking capacity required for hyperscale AI deployments. OpenAI's Stargate project, in partnership with Oracle and SoftBank, plans to establish five new AI data center sites across the United States. These sites, combined with existing projects, are expected to bring Stargate's total data center capacity to nearly 7 gigawatts and over $400 billion in investment over the next three years.

This massive investment in AI infrastructure reflects the increasing demand for compute power to support the development and deployment of advanced AI models. OpenAI's ChatGPT, launched in 2022, quickly became the fastest application in history to reach 100 million users, and the company now has over 700 million weekly active users. As OpenAI continues to expand its capabilities and user base, the need for robust AI infrastructure becomes even more critical.

NVIDIA's $100 billion investment in OpenAI not only strengthens the ties between the two companies but also positions NVIDIA at the center of the AI revolution. By taking a significant stake in OpenAI, NVIDIA secures its position as a key player in the AI landscape, ensuring that its technology remains at the heart of AI systems. This partnership is expected to drive further innovation, expand NVIDIA's market influence, and deepen its integration with OpenAI's growing user base.

The collaboration between NVIDIA and OpenAI is poised to accelerate the development and deployment of AI, enabling new breakthroughs and empowering businesses and individuals with advanced AI capabilities. As the AI race intensifies, this partnership represents a significant step forward in building the infrastructure needed to support the future of artificial intelligence. The scale of this project is unprecedented, with the potential to reshape competition, influence supply chains, and raise important questions about how to scale AI safely and ethically.