OpenAI Signs 20-Year Lease for Massive Ohio AI Data Center Backed by Nvidia

OpenAI has signed a 20-year lease for a massive data center campus in Ohio as the artificial intelligence company moves to secure the computing capacity needed for its expanding AI operations. The facility, being developed by SB Energy at the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, is expected to eventually provide about 8 gigawatts of IT capacity. The first phase of the project is scheduled to begin coming online in 2028.

Nvidia is playing a major role in the project. The chipmaker has agreed to provide up to $105 billion in financial guarantees and plans to invest $1.5 billion in SB Energy. Nvidia is also expected to supply the AI computing equipment for the initial capacity at the site. Under the arrangement, SB Energy will build, own and operate the data center, while OpenAI will use the facility under its long-term lease. The project is designed to give OpenAI access to dedicated computing infrastructure as demand for AI services and increasingly powerful models continues to rise.

The scale of the Ohio development reflects the growing infrastructure requirements of the AI industry. Advanced AI systems require enormous computing clusters, which in turn need large supplies of electricity, sophisticated cooling systems and extensive supporting infrastructure. The project is also expected to generate significant economic activity in Ohio, with thousands of construction and permanent jobs anticipated as the campus is developed.

For Nvidia, the agreement further deepens its relationship with OpenAI while expanding its role in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market. The company is not only supplying the chips used to run AI systems but is also helping support the infrastructure required to deploy them at massive scale.

The Ohio project comes as major technology companies race to secure data centers and electricity for future AI workloads. With OpenAI committing to the site for two decades, the development represents a long-term bet on continued growth in artificial intelligence and the computing power needed to support it. If completed as planned, the Ohio campus will rank among the largest AI data center developments in the United States and could become a significant hub for OpenAI's future computing needs.