REDWOOD CITY, CA, Jan 15, 2026 – SB Energy has formed a partnership with OpenAI under the Stargate initiative to support next-generation AI and energy infrastructure in the United States. The investment builds on the $500 billion Stargate commitment announced in January at the White House and targets expanded power capacity for advanced AI systems.
OpenAI and SoftBank Group will each invest $500 million in SB Energy to support rising AI compute demand and data center infrastructure development. OpenAI selected SBE to build and operate a previously-announced 1.2 GW data center site in Milam County. The funding supports SB Energy’s role in developing and executing data center campuses and related energy infrastructure. Several campuses are in development, with facilities under construction and service expected to begin in 2026.
OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman said, “Partnering with SB Energy brings together their strength in data center infrastructure and energy development and OpenAI’s deep domain expertise in data center engineering. The result is a fast, reliable way to scale compute through large, highly optimized AI data centers.”
SB Energy co-ceo Rich Hossfeld said, “SB Energy’s strategic partnership with OpenAI accelerates our delivery of advanced AI data center campuses and associated energy infrastructure at the scale required to advance Stargate and secure America’s AI future. We are grateful for our longstanding sponsor SoftBank Group and new partner OpenAI for their investment in our platform, our team, and our long-term vision.”
OpenAI, SoftBank Group, and SB Energy have formed a partnership to develop a new approach to data center construction for AI workloads. The effort aligns OpenAI’s data center design with SB Energy’s execution, cost management, and energy delivery capabilities. The partners will also invest in local communities through jobs, workforce training, and grid modernization.
OpenAI and SB Energy plan the Milam County Data Center to support thousands of construction jobs while limiting water use. The project includes new power generation to meet facility demand and reduce impacts on Texas ratepayers.
Source: OpenAI
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research and deployment company that develops and licenses AI models and software tools. Its products include large language models and generative systems used for text, images, and automated tasks. OpenAI serves developers, enterprises, technology companies, and research organizations across multiple industries. Common use cases include software development, customer support, education, healthcare, and data analysis. The company provides application programming interfaces that allow customers to integrate AI capabilities into products and workflows. OpenAI was founded in 2015. It is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. The organization conducts research and applies its models in commercial and enterprise settings. Its tools support content creation, coding assistance, and operational automation. OpenAI’s technologies are embedded in consumer and business applications worldwide. The number of global customers is about 1 million, while global employees are about 3,000.
About SB Energy
SB Energy develops, builds, owns, and operates large-scale renewable energy and energy infrastructure projects. The company focuses on utility-scale solar power and energy storage assets across the United States. It serves utility buyers, grid operators, and commercial and industrial customers, including technology companies with high power demand. SB Energy also manages project financing, engineering, procurement, and construction activities related to its energy assets. The company was founded in 2019. It is headquartered in Redwood City, CA. SB Energy operates as an independent power producer and infrastructure developer. Its portfolio supports electricity generation, grid reliability, and power supply for energy-intensive operations, including data centers.