OpenAI Launches Global Initiative to Expand AI Infrastructure and Promote 'Democratic AI'

OpenAI wants to team up with governments to grow AI infrastructure | TechCrunch

OpenAI is launching a program, OpenAI for Countries, that the company says will enable it to build out the local infrastructure needed to better serve international AI customers. As a part of the new program, OpenAI will partner with governments to assist with efforts like building out data center capacity and customizing OpenAI's products, including ChatGPT, for specific languages and local needs. Funding for the program will come from OpenAI as well as from governments in each country, according to the startup. The goal is to pursue 10 international projects to start, but OpenAI hasn't said where they'll be located yet. OpenAI said that it hopes to "spread democratic AI." That essentially means it wants to convince other countries to use Western AI models -- OpenAI in particular -- instead of Chinese competitors. According to Bloomberg, OpenAI for Countries is meant to complement the company's AI data center push, Project Stargate, which is reportedly set to expand beyond the U.S. OpenAI for Countries may lean on Stargate infrastructure, for example, or perhaps even funding from Stargate investors.

OpenAI Aims to Help More Countries Build Out AI Infrastructure

OpenAI rolled out a new initiative to help other countries build out the sprawling infrastructure required for the expansion of artificial intelligence, broadening an effort that started with the Stargate Project to set up AI data centers in the US. Under the new program, launched Wednesday, the ChatGPT maker will partner with national governments to help with efforts like building out data center capacity. The company will also help countries customize OpenAI's products for specific languages and local needs, part of an effort toward what Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has called "commercial diplomacy."

OpenAI plans Stargate expansion outside US

OpenAI plans to expand Stargate, its $500bn US data centre project, by investing more overseas to promote the development of "democratic artificial intelligence", though the group revealed few details of how the project would be financed and delivered. "This investment will be above and beyond what we're looking at in the US," said Chris Lehane, OpenAI global affairs vice-president. He framed the plan as a way to use America's AI technology edge to provide a clear alternative to China, its only serious competitor around the world, and to promote democratic values -- such as free speech, free markets and the prevention of mass government data collection. Sam Altman, OpenAI's chief executive, launched Stargate at the White House in January, alongside President Donald Trump and partners Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's chief executive, and Oracle boss Larry Ellison. Trump hailed the plan to spend as much as $500bn on US artificial intelligence infrastructure during his term of office as a "declaration of confidence in America". The project so far only consists of a partially built data centre in Abilene, Texas, but OpenAI is now touting Stargate to other countries, in addition to its vast US pledges. No deals have yet been announced for the global Stargate scheme, dubbed "OpenAI for countries", but the generative AI leader is targeting 10 projects with historic US allies. Lehane said political leaders in France, the UK and Germany had all expressed interest in developing new data centres. The Financial Times previously reported that OpenAI was weighing an investment in the UK. The group said it would strike the overseas deals in co-ordination with the US government. Its executives have compared the current build-out of data centres to the infrastructure spending boom in the early years of the web, with an estimated price tag in the trillions of dollars. Whereas SoftBank is the financing lead for Stargate in the US, OpenAI's developments abroad will be funded by a bespoke group of partners on each project, according to the company. "Governments, sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds and more traditional capital are all looking at this," said Lehane. "Our additional role is in providing the best AI technology . . . having us involved to create this structure helps attract that capital." He added that partnering with OpenAI on Stargate projects and committing to develop AI in accordance with democratic principles in their own countries could create a pathway for US allies to access the most advanced US-made semiconductors, required to build the best AI models. Under export controls that come into force this month, "tier two" countries -- including India, Israel, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- are restricted in the chips they can access. "In our submission to Trump's White House, we [in March] had made the proposal that they attract investment into US infrastructure by giving investors a way of moving from tier two to tier one," said Lehane.

OpenAI pushes for global AI with democratic -- not authoritarian -- values

Why it matters: Global expansion will be one key to ensuring that OpenAI's massive investments pay off -- and the company is arguing that it will help the U.S. counter China's influence, too. How it works: OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane said the new "OpenAI for Countries" effort, announced Wednesday, aims to partner with countries or regions to build and operate data centers that would serve up localized versions of ChatGPT for their citizens, with particular focus on healthcare and education. Catch up quick: OpenAI is in the midst of restructuring its business from a "capped-profit" partnership to a public benefit corporation. The big picture: OpenAI's announcement comes a day before CEO Sam Altman is set to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee at a hearing on "Winning the AI race." What they're saying: "We have a window here to help create pathways so that a large portion of the world is building on democratic AI at a moment when the world's going to have to choose between democratic AI and autocratic [AI]," Lehane told Axios. Between the lines: OpenAI for Countries builds on the notion of "democratic AI" that Sam Altman laid out in a 2024 Washington Post op-ed. Yes, but: There is plenty of disagreement in the U.S. and globally over what democratic AI means. Zoom in: One of the big questions is just how much OpenAI will be willing to customize ChatGPT, an important factor for countries weighing whether to use U.S. or Chinese AI systems. OpenAI's blog includes a reference to preventing AI from being used by governments to "amass control."

OpenAI offers to help countries build AI systems

San Francisco (AFP) - OpenAI on Wednesday announced an initiative to help countries build their own artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures, with the US government a partner in projects. The San Francisco tech firm's move to put its technology at the heart of national AI platforms around the world comes as it faces competition from Chinese rival DeepSeek. DeepSeek's success in delivering powerful AI models at a lower cost has rattled Silicon Valley and multiplied calls for US big tech to protect its dominance of the emerging technology. "It's clear to everyone now that this kind of infrastructure is going to be the backbone of future economic growth and national development," OpenAI said in a blog post. "This is a moment when we need to act to support countries around the world that would prefer to build on democratic AI rails, and provide a clear alternative to authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power." The OpenAI for Countries initiative was launched under the auspices of a Stargate drive announced by US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States. "We've heard from many countries asking for help in building out similar AI infrastructure," OpenAI said. "In response to these interested governments, OpenAI is offering a new kind of partnership for the Intelligence Age." OpenAI, in "coordination" with the US government, will help countries build datacenters and provide customized versions of its ChatGPT AI tailored for local languages and cultures to improve healthcare, education and public services, according to the tech firm. Projects are to involve "local as well as OpenAI capital". Partner countries would invest in the broader Stargate Project to expand "US-led AI leadership," OpenAI said.

OpenAI to Build Stargate for the World

The company said the new initiative seeks to support governments that prefer to build "on democratic AI rails." OpenAI launched a new global initiative called OpenAI for Countries, supporting national governments in building AI infrastructure aligned with democratic principles. The initiative is part of the broader Stargate project, a collaboration with Oracle and SoftBank, first announced in January alongside President Donald Trump. The Stargate project began with the construction of a supercomputing campus in Abilene, Texas, and plans are in place to establish similar sites elsewhere. Now, OpenAI says it has received interest from other countries to develop equivalent facilities domestically. "We've heard from many countries asking for help in building out similar AI infrastructure -- that they want their own Stargates and similar projects," the company said in a statement. "It's clear to everyone now that this kind of infrastructure is going to be the backbone of future economic growth and national development." OpenAI said the new initiative seeks to support governments that prefer to build "on democratic AI rails" and want an alternative to "authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power." Key elements of the initiative include partnering with countries to build secure, in-country data centres. These centres will support data sovereignty, create local industries, and allow for AI customisation using local data "in a private and compliant way." OpenAI also plans to offer customised versions of ChatGPT, localised based on each country's language and culture, to improve public services such as education and healthcare. As part of its safety commitments, OpenAI claims to invest in physical and operational controls, and work with international partners to develop processes that respect democratic processes and human rights. Another feature of the initiative is the creation of national AI start-up funds. "Together we can seed healthy national AI ecosystems so the new infrastructure is creating new jobs, new companies, new revenue, and new communities for each country," OpenAI said. Countries that participate would also invest in the global Stargate network and contribute to what OpenAI describes as a "US-led AI leadership" model. The AI giant said it aims to pursue 10 partnerships in the first phase of the initiative and will coordinate with interested governments through US-based representatives and regional executives.

OpenAI invests in 'commercial diplomacy' building global AI infrastructure

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. OpenAI plans to invest in efforts outside of the US to develop the infrastructure necessary to run artificial intelligence systems, building on its Stargate effort focused on AI data centres in the US. Under the new program, the ChatGPT maker will partner with national governments to help with efforts such as building data centre capacity. The company will also help countries customise OpenAI's products for different languages and local needs, part of an effort toward what chief executive Sam Altman has called "commercial diplomacy".

OpenAI Announces Initiative to Build AI Infrastructure for More Countries

OpenAI will also collaborate on future directions of its AI models OpenAI announced a new initiative on Wednesday aimed at helping countries outside of the US build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Dubbed OpenAI for Countries, the initiative is part of the Stargate Project that it announced in January. While Stargate Project is primarily focused on developing AI infrastructure in the US, the new initiative will help other countries in capacity development. OpenAI also wants to collaborate with governments of various countries to make them a stakeholders when it comes to the future direction of its AI models and technologies. In a blog post, the San Francisco-based AI firm stated that representatives from multiple countries reached out to OpenAI to seek assistance in building AI infrastructure. Calling this infrastructure the "backbone of future economic growth and national development," the company said it is willing to help these countries to spread "democratic AI." Explaining its democratic principle, OpenAI said it wants people to be able to choose how they work with and direct AI. It also wants to prevent governments' use of AI to amass control and a free market that fosters competition. "All these things contribute to a broad distribution of the benefits of AI, discourage the concentration of power, and help advance our mission," the company added. With OpenAI for Countries, the AI firm has prepared a five-step plan to collaborate with governments of other countries to develop AI infrastructure. The first step includes partnering with interested countries to help build in-country data centre capacity. These will be secured to protect the sovereignty of the country. The AI firm said that the data centres will build new local industries and make it easier to customise AI in a private and compliant way. The AI firm will also provide customised ChatGPT to the citizens. This chatbot will focus on the needs of a particular country and will be natively localised in their language and culture. The third step includes collaborating with the governments on the future direction of the company's AI models. "As our models become more powerful, we will continue to make investments in the processes and controls, including the data centre and physical security needed to deploy, operate and protect them," OpenAI said. Additionally, OpenAI will also raise and deploy a national start-up fund in collaboration with the governments. The fund would be used to seed a healthy AI ecosystem within the country. The company claims this will lead to the creation of new jobs, new enterprises, and revenue while supporting the needs of the public and private sectors. Finally, OpenAI said that the partner countries would also invest in the expansion of the global Stargate Project to continue the growth of the democratic AI. Notably, the company will take on 10 projects in the first phase of the initiative.

OpenAI offers to help countries build AI systems

OpenAI on Wednesday announced an initiative to help countries build their own artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures, with the US government a partner in projects. The OpenAI for Countries initiative was launched under the auspices of a Stargate drive announced by US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States.OpenAI on Wednesday announced an initiative to help countries build their own artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures, with the US government a partner in projects. The San Francisco tech firm's move to put its technology at the heart of national AI platforms around the world comes as it faces competition from Chinese rival DeepSeek. DeepSeek's success in delivering powerful AI models at a lower cost has rattled Silicon Valley and multiplied calls for US big tech to protect its dominance of the emerging technology. "It's clear to everyone now that this kind of infrastructure is going to be the backbone of future economic growth and national development," OpenAI said in a blog post. "This is a moment when we need to act to support countries around the world that would prefer to build on democratic AI rails, and provide a clear alternative to authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power." The OpenAI for Countries initiative was launched under the auspices of a Stargate drive announced by US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the United States. "We've heard from many countries asking for help in building out similar AI infrastructure," OpenAI said. "In response to these interested governments, OpenAI is offering a new kind of partnership for the Intelligence Age." OpenAI, in "coordination" with the US government, will help countries build datacenters and provide customized versions of its ChatGPT AI tailored for local languages and cultures to improve healthcare, education and public services, according to the tech firm. Projects are to involve "local as well as OpenAI capital". Partner countries would invest in the broader Stargate Project to expand "US-led AI leadership," OpenAI said.

OpenAI for Countries Initiative Launched to Expand Democratic AI Infrastructure Globally

OpenAI will coordinate with the US government and pursue 10 initial international projects. OpenAI has officially launched "OpenAI for Countries," a new initiative aimed at partnering with governments around the world to develop secure, sovereign AI infrastructure aligned with democratic principles. The effort is part of the broader Stargate project, OpenAI's plan to establish a network of supercomputing campuses, starting with its first facility in Abilene, Texas. Also Read: Stargate Project Announced with USD 500 Billion Investment in US AI Infrastructure Announced in January alongside President Donald Trump, Oracle, and SoftBank, the Stargate project represents a major investment in US-led AI innovation. With growing international interest, OpenAI now intends to replicate this infrastructure model globally through formal collaborations with like-minded nations. "We're introducing OpenAI for Countries, a new initiative within the Stargate project. This is a moment when we need to act to support countries around the world that would prefer to build on democratic AI rails, and provide a clear alternative to authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power," OpenAI said in a blogpost on May 7, 2025. "We've heard from many countries asking for help in building out similar AI infrastructure -- that they want their own Stargates and similar projects. It's clear to everyone now that this kind of infrastructure is going to be the backbone of future economic growth and national development," OpenAI highlighted. OpenAI said it wants to help these countries and, in the process, spread democratic AI, which means the development, use and deployment of AI that protects and incorporates long-standing democratic principles. Examples of this include the freedom for people to choose how they work with and direct AI, the prevention of government use of AI to amass control, and a free market that ensures free competition. The initiative focuses on five key pillars: building in-country data center capacity, providing localised versions of ChatGPT to citizens, enhancing safety and security controls for AI models, launching joint AI startup funds, and expanding the Stargate network through international investment. OpenAI emphasises that these partnerships will uphold data sovereignty, promote innovation, and ensure AI systems reflect local cultures and languages. "AI will scale human ingenuity itself and drive more prosperity by scaling our freedoms to learn, think, create and produce all at once," the company said. Each national partnership will be developed in coordination with the US government and will include both public and private sector contributions. OpenAI plans to pursue ten such projects in its initial phase. Also Read: Intel and MeitY's IndiaAI Sign MoU to Drive AI Skilling and Adoption Initiatives Across India "As OpenAI moves forward with OpenAI for Countries, our goal is to pursue 10 projects with individual countries or regions as the first phase of this initiative, and expand from there," the company said. The company noted that countries interested in participating can engage through their US-based representatives or OpenAI's global offices.

OpenAI Extends Reach with Democratic AI and Data Residency

OpenAI has announced that its Stargate Project is now welcoming international governments to partner with it in the fight against 'authoritarian AI'. The initiative promotes 'democratic AI models' built on ChatGPT's technology. As part of its efforts, OpenAI also revealed plans to establish data residency in India to meet data localisation requirements. In January, OpenAI launched its four-year-long Stargate Project aimed at expanding advanced AI infrastructure and research capabilities in the US. Now, the company is extending its reach globally by promoting what it calls 'democratic AI': offering partnerships to governments for building AI models based on local datasets and supported by region-specific data centers. This announcement comes just three days after OpenAI announced its reversion to its original not-for-profit status, following significant investments from Microsoft. The company's shift to open-source technology is seen as a step toward further democratizing AI by removing entry barriers. OpenAI's idea of 'democratic AI' includes the following key propositions: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to enforce the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, which have undergone several iterations since 2018. The act is set to strengthen the legal framework for personal data protection. One of its key provisions is the establishment of data residencies to prevent foreign companies from training their models on India's data. Therefore, OpenAI's announcement of data residency in India comes in the context of complying with these regulations. Data residency refers to storing data on physical servers located within a specific geographic boundary. These practices help protect personal data from unauthorized cross-border transfers. In 2018, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) required all digital payment companies to host their servers in India. These data localisation rules prohibit companies from transferring data abroad, except for short durations when absolutely required. Even then, the data must be promptly brought back and stored within the country. OpenAI claims these data residencies will offer "enterprise-grade data privacy and security," including advanced encryption and data protection compliant with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). It also assured that localised data would not be used to train its models. In a blog post, OpenAI stated: "This is a moment when we need to act to support countries around the world that would prefer to build on democratic AI rails and provide a clear alternative to authoritarian versions of AI that would deploy it to consolidate power." OpenAI emphasized its intent to prevent governments from using AI to gain unchecked control and to preserve free-market competition. It also stressed the importance of respecting the democratic process and human rights. Democratic AI broadly defines how developers design, deploy, and govern AI models in alignment with democratic values, as opposed to the use of AI for political repression seen in some countries. In a way, OpenAI's has democratised AI models -- as they are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. But now, OpenAI wants to go a step further, by building democratic AI -- AI that aligns with the values and principles of democracy. In the global race to build sovereign AI, artificial intelligence has become a geopolitical asset. France has Mistral AI, China has DeepSeek, and India has committed Rs 10,000 crore to fund domestic AI startups. OpenAI's announcement of partnering with other nations to build sovereign AI models for them can be seen from two lenses. If it is the former, there may be room for optimism. But if it's the latter, it raises uncomfortable questions: