OpenAI Launches Stargate Norway: A $1 Billion AI Data Center Project in Europe

OpenAI to launch AI data center in Norway, its first in Europe | TechCrunch

OpenAI said Thursday that it plans to launch Stargate Norway, its first AI data center in Europe, in partnership with British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian energy infrastructure firm Aker. Nscale will design and build the site, and it will be a 50/50 joint venture between the two companies. OpenAI will be an "off-taker" in the project, buying capacity from the data center. The announcement comes as Europe races to achieve AI sovereignty and invest in data centers and compute power. Earlier this week, the bloc unveiled details of its multi-billion-dollar investment into AI infrastructure, including 10 billion euros ($11.8 billion) to set up 13 AI factories and 20 billion euros as an initial investment in the factories. Data sovereignty is key to that mission, due to the sensitive nature of business and government data. It's not clear if OpenAI's data center is a part of the European Union's plans to scale AI at home, and OpenAI did not immediately comment when contacted by TechCrunch. Nscale CEO Josh Payne told CNBC that part of the purpose of this project is to "leverage European sovereign compute" for the benefit of the continent. Norway's AI ecosystem, like startups and scientific researchers, will get priority access to the center. CNBC also reported that Nscale and Aker have each committed around $1 billion to the initial 20 megawatt (MW) phase of the project. OpenAI says Stargate Norway will initially deliver 230 MW capacity, with plans to expand to 290 MW, and will run on 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by the end of 2026. The site will be located near Narvik, a small town in northern Norway. OpenAI said in a blog post the region is notable for its access to hydropower, a cool climate, and a "mature industrial base." "The facility will run entirely on renewable power and is expected to incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling to ensure maximum cooling efficiency," said OpenAI. "Additionally, excess heat from the GPU systems will be made available to support low-carbon enterprises in the region." Per the EU AI Act, which took effect in August 2024 and bans systems with "unacceptable risk," companies building data centers must take steps to protect the environment and be transparent about the energy consumption of AI models. Additionally, the bloc's Energy Efficiency Directive emphasizes energy efficiency in the ICT sector, which includes data centers. The directive also directs data centers exceeding certain energy input thresholds to recover waste heat. The Stargate Norway announcement comes seven months after OpenAI announced it would invest $500 billion into 10 gigawatts of AI infrastructure in the United States over the next four years, in partnership with Oracle and Softbank. The deal also follows the launch of Stargate UAE earlier this year, and a recently signed deal with the UK government to accelerate AI adoption and boost infrastructure.

OpenAI raids Europe with 100K GPU supercluster in Norway

Facility to be built with $1 billion investment from Nscale and Aker OpenAI's Stargate initiative has teleported to Europe, where the AI flag bearer has enlisted datacenter builder Nscale and Norwegian energy magnate Aker ASA to deploy a 100,000-GPU compute cluster in the Arctic by 2026. The facility will be located in Kvandal outside the town of Narvik in Norway's northern reaches, and is expected to eventually add 230 megawatts of compute capacity to OpenAI's planned Stargate compute network with the potential to add another 290 megawatts in the future. "Europe needs more compute to realize the full potential of AI for all Europeans -- from developers and researchers to startups and scientists -- and we want to help make that happen," OpenAI CEO and hype man Sam Altman said in a canned statement. Nscale, a London-based bit-barn builder, has been tapped to construct the so-called Stargate Norway facility under a joint venture with industrial investment group Aker ASA. To get the ball rolling, the companies plan to plow approximately $1 billion to bring the first 20 megawatts of capacity online. "The Kvandal site alone has the potential to scale tenfold in future phases as customer contracts are secured," Aker noted in a release. And to hit OpenAI's 100,000 GPU target by 2026, Nscale and Aker will need to scale rather quickly. By our estimate, 20 megawatts is only enough for a little more than 10,500 of Nvidia's latest GPUs. OpenAI hasn't said exactly which of Nvidia's GPUs will be deployed at the facility, but has said they'll feature direct-to-chip liquid cooling to maximize cooling efficiency, suggesting either Nvidia's Grace Blackwell or upcoming Vera Rubin rack systems will power the facility -- the latter are set to make their debut next year. Power for the facility will predominantly come from hydroelectric plants in the region, while excess heat captured from the liquid cooling loops will be made available for local enterprises, presumably for things like district heating. OpenAI won't be the Norwegian datacenter's only customer, just one of its first. Surplus capacity will be made available to users in the UK, Nordics, and Northern Europe. The ChatGPT maker says it will work with government officials to support their sovereign AI initiatives under its previously announced OpenAI for Countries program. Stargate's Norwegian contingent marks OpenAI's move to piggyback off of foreign AI initiatives. Back in May, OpenAI announced Stargate UAE, which would eventually see the construction of a 1 gigawatt compute cluster in Abu Dhabi, with the first 200 megawatts of capacity slated to come online sometime in 2026. The news also comes a week after OpenAI announced it'd talked its buddies at Oracle to supply Stargate with another 4.5 gigawatts of capacity. ®

Aker and Nscale to build $1 billion OpenAI plant in Norway

OSLO, July 31 (Reuters) - Norway's Aker ASA (AKER.OL), opens new tab said on Thursday it was partnering with Nscale Global Holdings and OpenAI to build a large artificial intelligence facility in northern Norway, aiming to install 100,000 Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab processors by the end of 2026. The partnership, called Stargate Norway, will be fully powered by renewable energy, Norwegian conglomerate Aker said in a joint statement with Nscale and OpenAI. The centre is the first in Europe under OpenAI's Stargate programme and follows the recent announcement of similar-sized Stargate UAE in the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. tech firm said. "This is one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure investments in Europe to date," OpenAI said in a blog post on its website. Aker ASA's shares rose 4.1% by 0715 GMT. Nscale and Aker will jointly own Stargate Norway, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project and with the potential to increase the site's capacity tenfold in future phases, they said. "As OpenAI customers, Aker and Nscale will benefit from local access to models and AI services delivered via sovereign infrastructure," the companies said in their statement. The facility will run on Nvidia's advanced GB300 Superchip processors, connected by the U.S. company's high-speed NVLink network technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a video presentation on the project. The facility, located in a hydropower-rich region of Norway, will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added. Stargate Norway is projected to consume an electrical power capacity of 230 megawatts (MW) for its operation, with ambitions to expand by an additional 290 MW, the companies said. Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Louise Rasmussen and Kate Mayberry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Aker, Nscale, OpenAI plan $1 bln Norway AI facility

OSLO, July 31 (Reuters) - Norway's Aker ASA (AKER.OL), opens new tab said on Thursday it is partnering with Nscale Global Holdings and OpenAI to build an artificial intelligence facility in northern Norway, aiming to install 100,000 NVIDIA (NVDA.O), opens new tab chips by the end of 2026. The partnership, called Stargate Norway, will use 100% renewable energy to power the AI facility, Norwegian conglomerate Aker said in a joint statement with Nscale and OpenAI. Stargate Norway will be owned by a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project and with the potential to increase the site's capacity tenfold in future phases, they said. The facility, located in a hydropower-rich region of Norway, will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added. Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Louise Rasmussen Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

OpenAI to build its first European data centre in Norway, with partners

OSLO, July 31 (Reuters) - OpenAI is launching its first Stargate data centre project in Europe, partnering with developer Nscale Global Holdings and investment group Aker ASA (AKER.OL), opens new tab to open a $1-billion facility in Norway next year, the companies said on Thursday. The artificial intelligence partnership, called Stargate Norway, will initially install 100,000 Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab processors and could see a tenfold expansion in future phases amid soaring AI demand, the companies said. The centre, to be built near Narvik in northern Norway, is the first in Europe under OpenAI's Stargate programme and follows the recent announcement of similar-sized Stargate UAE in the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. tech firm said. The gigafactory will be fully powered by renewable energy from local hydropower production, the companies added. "Infrastructure like this is really important and unlocks a ton of potential for developers, researchers, scientists, and startups all across Norway and Europe," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a video presentation. The shares of Norwegian conglomerate Aker ASA rose 11% to a two-year high of 729 Norwegian crowns before paring gains to trade at 717 crowns at 1337 GMT. Nscale and Aker will jointly own Stargate Norway with 50% stakes each, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project, which will consume about 20 megawatts of electrical power capacity and have OpenAI as its first customer. Aker said it was working with local power producer Nordkraft to secure access to enough electricity to allow Stargate to increase its consumption to 230 MW and eventually add a further 290 MW. An Aker spokesperson declined to comment on investment costs beyond the initial commitment or a time frame for the additional capacity. The facility will run on Nvidia's advanced GB300 Superchip processors, connected by the U.S. company's high-speed NVLink network technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in the video presentation. The facility will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable, and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added. Reporting by Terje Solsvik and Nora Buli; Editing by Louise Rasmussen, Kate Mayberry, Rod Nickel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

OpenAI spearheads one of Europe's biggest data centers with 100,000 Nvidia chips

It is OpenAI's first foray into Europe with its Startgate-branded project. OpenAI on Thursday said it is launching a Stargate-branded AI data center in Norway, marking its first foray into Europe with such a project. British firm Nscale will design and build the site as part of a 50-50 joint venture with Norwegian energy infrastructure firm Aker. OpenAI will be a so-called "off-taker" in the project, meaning it will effectively buy capacity from the data center. The site aims to deliver 100,000 NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPU) by the end of 2026, "with the intention to expand significantly in the years ahead," OpenAI said in a press release. The companies said the data center will run entirely on renewable power and have 230 megawatts of capacity, making it one of the biggest in Europe. Nvidia's GPUs have become the de facto choice of chips for data centers because of their ability to handle large AI workloads. For the Norway project, Nscale and Aker have each committed around $1 billion to the initial 20MW phase of the project. The site will be located in Kvandal, just outside Narvik in northern Norway. The companies said the region is characterized by "abundant hydropower, low local electricity demand, and limited transmission capacity." Stargate was initially launched this year in the U.S. as an infrastructure project between OpenAI, Oracle, Japan's SoftBank, and the UAE's MGX. The project aims to invest $500 billion over the next four years, building out AI infrastructure. OpenAI has looked to take this initiative globally. In June, the company and its partners announced plans to build a Stargate campus in the UAE. Europe has meanwhile been pushing the concept of "sovereign AI," requiring data centers and AI workloads to be located and processed on European soil. Companies like Nvidia and OpenAI have also been touting their ability to deliver sovereign AI as they look to expand their businesses. In a trip to Europe this year, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged the continent to build more AI infrastructure. French AI company Mistral announced plans to use Nvidia's GPUs in a new data center planned for France.

OpenAI Launches Stargate Norway, Its First AI Data Centre in Europe | AIM

The data centre will run entirely on renewable energy and support 100,000 GPUs by 2026. OpenAI has announced the launch of Stargate Norway, its first AI data centre initiative in Europe, under the company's 'OpenAI for Countries' program. The company plans to bring large-scale compute power to Norway and the wider European AI ecosystem. Located in Narvik, Stargate Norway is being developed in collaboration with infrastructure provider Nscale and industrial conglomerate Aker, forming a 50/50 joint venture. The facility aims to deliver an initial 230 megawatts (MW) of capacity, with plans to expand by an additional 290 MW, targeting the deployment of 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026. This project is powered entirely by renewable energy, leveraging Narvik's cool climate and abundant hydropower. It will use advanced closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology, enhancing energy efficiency, and will recycle excess GPU-generated heat to support low-carbon enterprises in the region, the company statement said. Sam Altman-led OpenAI describes Stargate as the company's overarching infrastructure platform that plays a pivotal role in its vision to democratize AI access globally. OpenAI aims to support local AI innovation by offering priority compute access to Norwegian startups and researchers, while surplus capacity will be made available to public and private sectors across the UK, Nordics, and Northern Europe. "Large-scale compute capacity in Europe will help ensure that AI transformation benefits developers, scientists, startups, and communities across the region," OpenAI said in its announcement. Stargate Norway follows the launch of Stargate UAE earlier this year. OpenAI is also engaging with the Norwegian government to align with the country's sovereign AI ambitions, and has made recent moves in Europe, including partnerships with the UK government and Estonia, and expressed interest in the EU's AI gigafactories initiative.

OpenAI to launch its first European data centre in Norway

According to OpenAI the project will be one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure investments in Europe to date. In a European first for Open AI and in partnership with Nscale, a UK AI cloud infrastructure company and Aker, a Norwegian energy infrastructure company, Open AI has announced plans to develop a Norway-based data centre. Stargate Norway will be launched under the OpenAI for Countries programme, which is an initiative within the Stargate project that enables regions to establish alternatives to "authoritarian versions of AI". In a statement issued by OpenAI, the company explained that Stargate is their overarching infrastructure platform and a critical aspect of the long-term vision to make AI and its benefits more accessible. OpenAI have stated that across the continent millions of people and organisations utilise ChatGPT and API everyday, with the number of Norwegian people using ChatGPT features weekly having quadrupled in the past year, most of them under the age of 35. "AI is a foundational technology that can boost productivity, drive economic growth, and power new industries. Large-scale compute capacity in Europe will help ensure that this transformation benefits people and communities including developers, researchers, scientists and start-ups across Norway and Europe." The site, which will be located at Narvik, will be designed and built by Nscale and is expected to be owned in a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker. OpenAI has said that it will be one of the most significant and ambitious AI infrastructure investments in Europe to date. The statement read, "Narvik's abundant hydropower, low-cost energy, cool climate, and mature industrial base make it an ideal location to deliver large-scale, sustainable AI capacity. "The facility will run entirely on renewable power and is expected to incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling to ensure maximum cooling efficiency. Additionally, excess heat from the GPU systems will be made available to support low-carbon enterprises in the region." The announcement comes at a time when the EU is making efforts to solidify Europe as a global leader in artificial intelligence. In April of this year, the European Commission published the AI Continent Action Plan, which outlines the EU's strategy to enhance competitiveness, innovation and regulation within Europe. Speaking at the launch of the plan, Henna Virkkunen, the executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said she believed that the EU was uniquely positioned to become an AI continent. Furthermore, OpenAI recently signed a strategic partnership deal with the UK government that aims to expand the region's AI endeavours, in areas such as infrastructure, data centres, security, education, justice and defence. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

OpenAI unveils Stargate Norway AI data center project

OpenAI has announced its first European AI data center, Stargate Norway, in collaboration with Nscale, a British AI cloud infrastructure provider, and Aker, a Norwegian energy infrastructure firm. The project aims to bolster AI capabilities in Europe through a dedicated data center. Nscale will oversee the design and construction of the facility, with OpenAI acting as an "off-taker," procuring capacity from the data center. Nscale and Aker will operate the construction of the site as a 50/50 joint venture. OpenAI's role as an off-taker signifies a commitment to utilize the data center's resources once operational. This arrangement allows OpenAI to secure necessary infrastructure while leveraging the expertise of Nscale and Aker in data center development and energy infrastructure. The announcement coincides with a broader push within Europe to establish AI sovereignty by investing in data centers and computational resources. The European Union has articulated plans for substantial investments in AI infrastructure, including €10 billion dedicated to establishing 13 AI factories and an initial investment of €20 billion in those facilities. The concept of data sovereignty is perceived as critical due to the sensitive nature of governmental and business data. Despite parallel efforts to scale AI infrastructure within the European Union, Nscale and OpenAI have clarified that Stargate Norway operates independently from these EU initiatives. As Nscale CEO Josh Payne told CNBC, the project intends to "leverage European sovereign compute" for the benefit of the continent. Moreover, Norwegian entities, specifically startups and scientific researchers within the AI domain, will be granted prioritized access to the data center's resources. According to CNBC, Nscale and Aker have each allocated approximately $1 billion towards the initial phase of the project, which will deliver 20 megawatts (MW) of capacity. OpenAI has stated that Stargate Norway is slated to provide an initial capacity of 230 MW, ultimately expanding to 290 MW. The data center is projected to operate using 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by the conclusion of 2026, signifying a substantial investment in processing power. The data center will be situated near Narvik, a town in northern Norway. OpenAI cited the region's access to hydropower, its cool climate, and its "mature industrial base" as key factors in the selection of the location. These characteristics align with the requirements for efficient and sustainable data center operations. OpenAI has stated that the facility will depend entirely on renewable power sources. The company intends to incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling to maximize cooling efficiency. Furthermore, the excess heat generated by the GPU systems will be repurposed to support low-carbon enterprises within the surrounding region, promoting environmental sustainability. This demonstrates a commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of the data center. Stringent regulations, exemplified by the EU AI Act which took effect in August 2024, mandate that data center operators implement measures to protect the environment and provide energy consumption transparency when constructing data centers. The EU Energy Efficiency Directive further emphasizes energy efficiency within the ICT sector, including data centers, and mandates that data centers exceeding specific energy input thresholds must recover waste heat. The unveiling of Stargate Norway follows OpenAI's announcement, seven months prior, of a $500 billion commitment to AI infrastructure within the United States. This investment, aimed at creating 10 gigawatts of AI infrastructure over the subsequent four years, is occurring in partnership with Oracle and SoftBank. Additionally, the Stargate Norway announcement follows the launch of Stargate UAE earlier in the year and a recent agreement with the UK government to accelerate AI adoption and enhance infrastructure.

Aker and Nscale to build $1 billion OpenAI plant in Norway - The Economic Times

The partnership, called Stargate Norway, will be fully powered by renewable energy, Norwegian conglomerate Aker said in a joint statement with Nscale and OpenAI.Norway's Aker ASA said on Thursday it was partnering with Nscale Global Holdings and OpenAI to build a large artificial intelligence facility in northern Norway, aiming to install 100,000 Nvidia processors by the end of 2026. The partnership, called Stargate Norway, will be fully powered by renewable energy, Norwegian conglomerate Aker said in a joint statement with Nscale and OpenAI. The centre is the first in Europe under OpenAI's Stargate programme and follows the recent announcement of similar-sized Stargate UAE in the United Arab Emirates, the US tech firm said. "This is one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure investments in Europe to date," OpenAI said in a blog post on its website. Aker ASA's shares rose 4.1% by 0715 GMT. Nscale and Aker will jointly own Stargate Norway, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project and with the potential to increase the site's capacity tenfold in future phases, they said. "As OpenAI customers, Aker and Nscale will benefit from local access to models and AI services delivered via sovereign infrastructure," the companies said in their statement. The facility will run on Nvidia's advanced GB300 Superchip processors, connected by the US company's high-speed NVLink network technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a video presentation on the project. The facility, located in a hydropower-rich region of Norway, will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added. Stargate Norway is projected to consume an electrical power capacity of 230 megawatts (MW) for its operation, with ambitions to expand by an additional 290 MW, the companies said.

OpenAI to build its first European data centre in Norway, with partners - The Economic Times

OpenAI is launching its first Stargate data centre project in Europe, partnering with developer Nscale Global Holdings and investment group Aker ASA to open a $1-billion facility in Norway next year, the companies said on Thursday. The artificial intelligence partnership, called Stargate Norway, will initially install 100,000 Nvidia processors and could see a tenfold expansion in future phases amid soaring AI demand, the companies said. The centre, to be built near Narvik in northern Norway, is the first in Europe under OpenAI's Stargate programme and follows the recent announcement of similar-sized Stargate UAE in the United Arab Emirates, the US tech firm said. The gigafactory will be fully powered by renewable energy from local hydropower production, the companies added. "Infrastructure like this is really important and unlocks a ton of potential for developers, researchers, scientists, and startups all across Norway and Europe," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a video presentation. The shares of Norwegian conglomerate Aker ASA rose 11% to a two-year high of 729 Norwegian crowns before paring gains to trade at 717 crowns at 1337 GMT. Nscale and Aker will jointly own Stargate Norway with 50% stakes each, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project, which will consume about 20 megawatts of electrical power capacity and have OpenAI as its first customer. Aker said it was working with local power producer Nordkraft to secure access to enough electricity to allow Stargate to increase its consumption to 230 MW and eventually add a further 290 MW. An Aker spokesperson declined to comment on investment costs beyond the initial commitment or a time frame for the additional capacity. The facility will run on Nvidia's advanced GB300 Superchip processors, connected by the U.S. company's high-speed NVLink network technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in the video presentation. The facility will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable, and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added.

OpenAI to build its first European data centre in Norway, with partners

OSLO (Reuters) -OpenAI is launching its first Stargate data centre project in Europe, partnering with developer Nscale Global Holdings and investment group Aker ASA to open a $1-billion facility in Norway next year, the companies said on Thursday. The artificial intelligence partnership, called Stargate Norway, will initially install 100,000 Nvidia processors and could see a tenfold expansion in future phases amid soaring AI demand, the companies said. The centre, to be built near Narvik in northern Norway, is the first in Europe under OpenAI's Stargate programme and follows the recent announcement of similar-sized Stargate UAE in the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. tech firm said. The gigafactory will be fully powered by renewable energy from local hydropower production, the companies added. "Infrastructure like this is really important and unlocks a ton of potential for developers, researchers, scientists, and startups all across Norway and Europe," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a video presentation. The shares of Norwegian conglomerate Aker ASA rose 11% to a two-year high of 729 Norwegian crowns before paring gains to trade at 717 crowns at 1337 GMT. Nscale and Aker will jointly own Stargate Norway with 50% stakes each, investing about $1 billion for the initial phase of the project, which will consume about 20 megawatts of electrical power capacity and have OpenAI as its first customer. Aker said it was working with local power producer Nordkraft to secure access to enough electricity to allow Stargate to increase its consumption to 230 MW and eventually add a further 290 MW. An Aker spokesperson declined to comment on investment costs beyond the initial commitment or a time frame for the additional capacity. The facility will run on Nvidia's advanced GB300 Superchip processors, connected by the U.S. company's high-speed NVLink network technology, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in the video presentation. The facility will be among the first AI gigafactories in Europe, Nscale CEO Josh Payne said in the statement. "Sovereign, scalable, and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive," he added. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik and Nora Buli; Editing by Louise Rasmussen, Kate Mayberry, Rod Nickel) By Terje Solsvik and Nora Buli