Massive AI Stargate Project under Trump admin reveals next steps
Stargate, the massive artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure project recently unveiled by President Donald Trump, has begun production in Texas — with data center construction in other states expected to be announced in the coming months.
OpenAI, Softbank, Oracle and other partners' total investment of $500 million in the project will produce a large-scale network of campuses. Each campus will be designed in the roughly 1 gigawatt (GW) or greater range, a measurement of electricity that can power a minimum of 750,000 homes.
During a recent press briefing on The Stargate Project attended by Fox News Digital, OpenAI announced that construction on the first site is underway in Abilene, Texas. Significant progress has been made in identifying additional locations. Stargate is currently weighing 16 additional states as options for future sites.
Ai Executives Praise Trump's Stargate Project: 'This Is A Very Large Investment That Affects All Of Humanity'
"We are really privileged to be with the president, who made clear that Stargate is incredibly important to U.S. nation building," OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane said during the briefing, noting that Donald Trump has been engaged in conversations regarding AI infrastructure since the summer of 2024.
Lehane also said OpenAI has been "blown away" by how Texas is thinking about AI, calling it a state that is "certainly thinking big, acting big and looking to build big."
Read On The Fox News App
Stargate's short-term rollout is as follows, according to Lehane, OpenAI Chief Economist Ronnie Chatterji, and Keith Heyde, the company's director of Infrastructure Strategy and Deployment.
Finalize the site selection process for additional Stargate campuses
Engage with state governments and local communities to secure support and partnerships for The Stargate Project
Develop economic models to quantify the job creation and broader economic impacts of the Stargate campuses
Coordinate with utility providers and energy companies to ensure sustainable and resilient power and water solutions for the sites
Establish connections with universities, hospitals and community colleges to build AI ecosystems around Stargate campuses
Stargate has also revealed a 3-phase site selection process. This will include evaluating potential sites for critical criteria, including power, size, water, people, and fiber.
Fox News Ai Newsletter: Tech Titans Sound Off On Trump's Ai Project
OpenAI estimates that each 1 GW supercomputer campus will generate thousands of jobs through direct, indirect and induced effects.
Direct effects are those employed directly by campuses in construction and operation roles. Indirect effects are how the initial industry's spending circulates within the local economy, while induced effects are how wages earned within the affected industries contribute to consumer spending in the region.
OpenAI has said that ensuring the world's most advanced AI supercomputers remain U.S.-based is crucial to maintaining a competitive advantage over the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The latest AI models launched by Chinese startup DeepSeek have spurred turmoil in the technology sector following its emergence as a potential rival to leading U.S.-based firms.
Altman Says Musk 'Trying To Slow Us Down,' Openai Not For Sale
The emergence of the China-based firm has raised questions about leading U.S. tech companies investing billions of dollars in advanced chips and large data centers to train AI models. It also serves as a "Sputnik moment" for the AI race between the U.S. and China following the perception that the U.S. had an edge over its geopolitical rival in the emerging field.
During the press briefing, Lehane said that DeepSeek news clarifies that "this is a very real competition, and the stakes could not be bigger."
"Whoever ends up prevailing in this competition, it's going to really shape what the world looks like going forward. Whether we have democratic AI, it's free and open, or authoritarian AI that is autocratic. It's going to impact enormously whether people in this country get to participate in the upside," he continued.
The company announced an Infrastructure Blueprint in November and an Economic Blueprint in January as part of their push to build key AI ecosystem components.
Fox Business' Eric Revell contributed to this report.Original article source: Massive AI Stargate Project under Trump admin reveals next steps
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How We Can Restore Coral Reefs
Credit - Jay Clue The ocean may be nature's single greatest gift to humanity. It provides about half of the oxygen we breathe, feeds billions of people, supports countless jobs in every corner of the globe, and absorbs more carbon dioxide than anything else on earth. The ocean connects us all. But right now, the ocean is sounding an unmistakable alarm. Fishing boats around the world are returning emptier. Coastal zones are growing warmer and murkier, and they are becoming more polluted as millions of gallons of water laced with pharmaceuticals, forever chemicals, and sewage leak into the sea. Coral reefs are turning white. We come to these challenges with different experiences and perspectives. One of us lives in the Florida Keys and chairs the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force. The other lives in Hawaii and the Bay Area and leads a global technology company. At the same time, we share something fundamental: a deep commitment to the health of the oceans—and a deep belief that differences in some areas should not prevent us from working together on pressing issues where we agree. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We have an opportunity for global action. From June 9 to June 13, officials from more than 100 nations, scientists, and innovators will gather in Nice, France, for the United Nations Ocean Conference, held only once every few years. The meeting will test our ability to work together across sectors, borders, and worldviews, and to act on behalf of future generations. That's why we're calling for a focused global effort to restore coral-reef health. Coral-reef ecosystems—from the famous reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to the Great Barrier—are the ocean's rainforests. Vital and vulnerable, they shelter nearly a quarter of marine life, buffer coastal communities from storms, and sustain billions of dollars in fisheries and tourism. Yet they are disappearing at unprecedented speed. Rising temperatures are part of the problem. But so are decades of negligence, coastal pollution, overfishing, and damage from dredging and poorly planned ports and coastal infrastructure. We believe that addressing coral-reef health is a smart place to focus—not because it is the only crisis, but because it offers a clear, actionable, achievable goal that can unite governments and ocean advocates across sectors. We also know that nature-based solutions are powerful, proven, and cost-effective tools for addressing the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. Restoring coral reefs—like planting and conserving trees—empowers nature to do what it does best: regenerate, protect, and sustain life. We've seen a model for this kind of collaboration before. As part of the Trillion Trees ( movement, the first Trump Administration joined an unprecedented global effort to reforest the planet. Trees are the planet's natural air purifiers—the single most effective 'device' we have to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. There remains far more work to do. Yet with more than 9.7 billion trees pledged and more than 54 million hectares of land under sustainable management so far, the Trillion Trees initiative demonstrates the progress that's possible when we align behind a common goal. We believe that we can take lessons from the Trillion Trees movement—underwater. It's helpful to think of the ocean as a patient in the emergency room. Long-term recovery depends on curing the disease, and, yes, different people may have different ideas on the best long-term approach. But right now, we're losing a lot of blood, and we need to stop it—fast. We need to deal with immediate problems that threaten the health of coral reefs. Solutions exist, and many communities, ecopreneurs, and conservationists are already deploying them. Here's what a focused, global effort to restore coral reefs could look like: 1. Curb septic and sewage runoff—especially in critical reef zones like Hawaii, South Florida, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and Guam—by upgrading and modernizing the infrastructure that treats waste water and scaling new technologies such as denitrification that converts toxic nitrogen to a harmless gas. We also need to set up water-testing programs that help us pinpoint and address pollution hot spots near the most important reefs. Nothing we do to restore coral reefs will matter if water quality doesn't improve to the point where they can survive. 2. Scale science-based coral restoration, including advanced farming of specially grown corals and responsible management of protected marine zones. 3. Stop plastic—which harms reefs by smothering coral, increasing the risk of disease, and entangling marine life—before it reaches the ocean. We can tackle this through bans on single-use waste, incentives for alternative materials, and as a last resort, the implementation of new technologies that intercept ocean-bound plastic in waterways. The world needs more efforts like Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project, which is removing plastics from the ocean, and the Benioff Ocean Science Lab, which helps innovate solutions to capture and remove plastic from rivers before it ends up in the ocean. 4. Empower fishing businesses to promote sustainable practices by eliminating overfishing, ending harmful fisheries subsidies globally, and reducing the sometimes destructive impacts of fisheries on marine habitats. 5. Restore coastlines with mangroves, wetlands, seagrass meadows and coastal forests. Many of these ecosystems can serve as nursery habitat for commercially and ecologically important coral-reef fish. They also often act together to dissipate waves that pound coastlines and serve as natural, free, and self-repairing seawalls. Healthy shorelines mean healthier oceans, and healthier oceans in turn mean safer and more prosperous coastal communities. We recognize that some will say calling attention to discrete, nature-based approaches like coral-reef restoration is a moral hazard, distracting from the bigger long-term solutions to our environmental challenges. At the same time, there is widespread agreement that the crisis facing the oceans demands a diverse range of approaches. We need to harness every available solution. Sometimes, we need to start with the work—and the opportunity for collaboration—right in front of us. That's what makes this week's conference in Nice so important. It comes as ocean action has never been more essential. It will require leadership from every sector, including business, government and science. The question is whether we can turn shared understanding into shared action. What's needed is the will to save the ocean, one commitment at a time. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Global Fashion Agenda Addresses Sustainability's Struggles: Uncertainty Looms Amid Policy Shifts, Economic Pressures and Tariffs
COPENHAGEN — Does sustainability stand a chance in a world where it is being increasingly de-prioritized amid shifting government policies, mounting tariffs and more conservative political climates? That was the question attendees grappled with at this year's Global Fashion Agenda conference in Copenhagen. Organizers acknowledged the mood was 'somber,' reflecting rising uncertainty. Attendance was lighter, as brands cut budgets and pivoted toward contingency planning in response to legislative delays and economic headwinds. More from WWD Miley Cyrus Puts Her Own Twist on a '80s Rockstar Hairstyle at the Chanel and Tribeca Film Festival Luncheon in NYC Miley Cyrus, Parker Posey, Riley Keough & More Celebrate 'Through Her Lens' With Chanel and Tribeca Lucy Liu Anchors Chanel Textured Midi Dress With Pearl-heeled Pumps at TriBeCa Through Her Lens Luncheon In Europe, the European Commission's conservative pivot has led to a rollback of key legislation, most notably the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. The directive, which required large companies to identify and address human rights and environmental impacts across their supply chains, is now partially on hold, leaving many companies in limbo. 'The EU has given the world a political signal that we, too, are going to do things differently, and I would even call it a sort of 'Trump lite,'' said European Parliament member Lara Wolters. Though the EU's upcoming changes are being framed as simplifications, 'it's far too soon…to make a harsh policy move like this. And yet that's been done and everybody is now scrambling to try to do damage control,' said Wolters. The likely outcome will be more paperwork on imports and burdens on small businesses, with less scrutiny at the source of production. In the U.S., new tariffs under the Trump administration have further complicated sustainability strategies. Companies investing in decarbonizing their supply chains now face uncertainty around future production costs and sourcing locations. 'It's hard to convince your CFO to make that decision,' said Chelsea Murtha, senior director of sustainability at the American Apparel and Footwear Association. '[Companies are] operating in confusion.' Meanwhile, states that once led on climate action are facing rising costs and cross-border partnerships, such as U.S.-Canadian collaborations on recycling and sorting systems, are now under threat due to the new fees and increased shipping complexity. USAID had long funded many NGOs and programs that U.S. brands relied on to monitor human rights and labor conditions in sourcing countries. That support is now cut, and brands are being asked to fill the gap. 'As much as the brands would like to, they're also getting squeezed by the tariffs,' said Murtha. 'So there's this sort of paralysis happening right now where everyone's trying to figure out what on earth can we continue to hold on to?' Claus Teilmann Petersen, Bestseller's head of sustainability and human rights, urged brands to channel this uncertainty into 'productive paranoia.' He believes that while the EU battle 'is kind of lost,' legislators should regroup to implement simplified due diligence based on global OECD guidelines. GFA's vice president of public affairs María Luisa Martínez Díez added that geopolitical instability is adding to the uncertainty. 'Wars and conflicts [are] also disrupting the industry, with brands having to reassess production locations and loans due to the risky conflict zones.' Financing is also impacted, with banks less inclined to fund factory upgrades that set out to reduce carbon emissions or water use. 'The focus on sustainability has been left behind, fading into the background, to the favor of competitors,' she noted. Adding to the challenge is the compliance burden of data collection and upcoming circular economy regulations. Brands are navigating varying rules from the U.S., EU, China and pending new laws in India, South America and Mexico. Amid the gloom, some companies see a silver lining in artificial intelligence. One promising use case is to modernize the outdated wholesale model. 'The system relies on the traditional system of bulk ordering,' said MannyAI cofounder and chief executive officer Shruti Grover. AI, she suggested, could optimize inventory, reduce overstock, and cut costs. The system relies on the traditional method of bulk ordering. Brands have to front the stock then absorb the cost of any items that are returned. Revamping the system could be especially beneficial for small brands, but this would break longstanding business practices and is resisted by existing players in the industry. 'So brands need to take a really brave decision for this,' she said. But while AI has potential, so far it has not paid out, according to research from BCG. Arti Zeighami, partner and director at the consulting group's tech design division BCGX, shared that only 4 percent of CEOs implementing AI have seen measurable return on investment, highlighting a gap between hype and tangible value. Still, smaller brands see opportunity. Mudd Jeans CEO Jolanda Brink said AI could enable her 12-person team to compete at scale. 'Everybody's talking like people are scared about AI, but I'm actually thinking this can tremendously help me,' she told WWD. 'It used to be large team, large results. So now this can be small team, large results.' Brink hopes to build a product lifecycle management system and launch targeted paid ads built with AI tools, especially to reach 'light green' consumers who value style but consider sustainability a bonus. She sees this possibility as a win-win. 'That is really good for retailers also, because that means they don't have to invest a lot in us, because they can see if it sells, and then they can order from us,' she said. StyleDNA cofounder and CEO Elena Volkova echoed the hype vs. value gap in AI, this time from the consumer perspective. Her research found that while 82 percent of users want AI-assisted shopping, many haven't acted on its suggestions. It will take time for consumers to develop trust in a new system and to see any personal value in using it, she said. This disconnect between intention and action was a recurring theme. Visa Europe's vice president of impact and sustainability Katherine Brown said their Behavioral Insights Lab found 87 percent of consumers want to shop sustainably, but only 27 percent follow through. The lab partners with retailers such as Selfridges, Cos, and John Lewis to test messaging and to nudge strategies that drive more sustainable choices. For Gen Z, framing sustainability as community-driven behavior raised sales at Cos by 22 percent. Pre-purchase nudges promoting refillables were also successful in a Charlotte Tilbury case study, she told WWD. These 'nudges' are less about hard-hitting sustainability messaging and more about a few key words that appeal to style or make economic sense to consumers in a softer way. Visa is also exploring 'agentic AI,' which autonomously searches and shops for products based on a consumer's personalized preferences. Yet trust and fraud prevention remain critical, especially in resale. 'There is just so much financial fraud at this moment in time, so people really do want to know that if I'm buying something, I want to know that it's from a real source,' she said. 'Trust and security is not yet robust in the resale market.' Visa is supporting digital passports to ensure the authenticity of goods as well as ensure the payments systems behind secondhand transactions. The lab, focused on Europe, plans to expand into global markets and new sectors, including travel and home goods. 'The fashion industry has been a brilliant starting point because the industry just so vastly needs to understand how to move people away from fast fashion,' said Brown. Devon Leahy, global head of sustainability at L Catterton, stressed the business case for bridging the gap. 'Closing the consumer gap is tangible financial value,' she said, urging brands to present sustainability as a co-benefit, not the primary purchase driver. Florence Bulté, chief sustainability officer at Chalhoub Group, discussed efforts to shift secondhand perceptions in the Middle East, where the group operates. When the group launched a jewelry rental program, she knew it would appeal to expats in the region. But to her surprise, it performed better than expected with local communities. The group is working to extend this kind of change with handbags and shoes as well. GFA CEO Federica Marchionni acknowledged the global moment. 'This time was a very different feeling…we were anxious of the time and the situation we are living in, and it's hard to tackle all of these barriers that are growing every day,' she said, highlighting the event's theme of 'Barriers and Bridges.' 'I always say that sustainability can really be the uniting bond,' she said. Many attendees noted that this year's conference felt smaller, whether due to overlapping events, tighter travel budgets, or broader fatigue. SXSW London was scheduled at the same time, where one attendee was due to be a panelist before she realized the dates conflicted, and the Textiles Recycling Expo was happening in Brussels. As a result, 'all the recyclers are there and the brands are here,' the attendee said. Though fewer CEOs were visible, C-level sustainability leaders from brands like Chanel and Kering participated in closed-door roundtables. Kering even brought along its first 'sustainability futurist,' who is focused on studying long-range transformation a decade out. One returning attendee, attending for the sixth time, said they had hoped for more 'actionable' content given how 'people have backed down on messaging.' Nonetheless, the networking was strong. 'It's good to meet people we only see on Zoom,' one attendee said. 'In that aspect, it is doing its job.' A standout moment of the week was the debut of Lycra EcoMade with Qira — a corn-based stretch fiber containing 70 percent renewable content. The drop-in replacement for petroleum-based Lycra delivers the same performance, making it possible for activewear such as yoga pants to go bio-based. There's no difference in appearance or feel. Both CEOs were on hand to unveil the fiber at the event, Lycra's Gary Smith and Qira's Jon Veldhouse. The fiber has been in development for seven years, and already piloted by brands like A-Golde. The material is being produced at a factory in Iowa and will scale to 65 tons a year, with the first large-scale shipments expected this fall for inclusion in spring collections. Leather alternative pioneer Modern Meadow also revealed its newly rebranded material, Innovera, with CEO David Williamson on hand to discuss the future of bio-designed material innovations. To close the week, Refibered was awarded the GFA Trailblazer prize. The startup uses AI to identify textile compositions, helping recyclers and boosting resale authentication and traceability. Best of WWD Walmart Calls California Waste Dumping Lawsuit 'Unjustified' Year in Review: Sustainability's Biggest Controversies of 2021 Year in Review: Sustainability's New Strides
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What to Expect From US, China Trade Talks Monday?
Mary Lovely, Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, shares her thoughts on what to expect Monday as US and Chinese negotiators will resume trade talks in London. She also talks about the Trump tariffs and the impact the tariffs may have on the labor market if trade talks between the US and China do not go well. Mary Lovely speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg's "Balance of Power."
