Microsoft & OpenAI To Develop Stargate, The World’s Largest AI Supercomputer With A Cost of $100 Billion

01.04.2024 - 01:17 / wccftech.com / Muhammad Zuhair

Microsoft & OpenAI are planning to build the world's largest AI-focused supercomputer, Stargate, with a valuation of a whopping $100 billion.

Microsoft-OpenAI's Planned Stargate Supercomputer Might Be A Technological Marvel, Fueling AI Developments

We seem to be moving into an era where the primary race would be computing power and firms battling against each other to achieve superiority in this segment. We have heard quite astonishing developments in the last year or so, courtesy of the AI frenzy, but the latest one is unmatched. The Information reports that Microsoft and OpenAI are planning to build an "AI powerhouse" called the Stargate, which will be 100 times more pricey than some of the largest data centers operating today.

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Well, the supposed valuation of Stargate is to be reported at $100 billion, which is indeed shocking. With that, Microsoft and OpenAI plan on deploying the system over the next six years, which means that Stargate can potentially be operational by 2028. The project will be divided into phases, with Stargate being a phase 5 system. The idea is currently in its planning stages; it is rumored that the data center could also be nuclear-powered, given that such a large-scale project with several gigawatts of power consumption can't be powered through conventional methods.

Details such as the equipment and hardware gear onboard, along with the Stargate's place of deployment, haven't been decided yet. Moreover, it may be possible that Stargate has multiple data centers existing at a single location rather than just one, so it's too early to speak about the project. However, the critical thing to note is that moving ahead, such data centers are going to get more common as this particular segment plays a vital role in the progression of AI, and as stated by NVIDIA's CEO himself, the markets could expand to $2 trillion over the next five years.

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman plans to raise $7 trillion for his AI ambitions, which might turn out to be viable, considering the fact we are just at the beginning of the AI era, and advancing into the future would require a robust infrastructure, which would need vast financial resources.

News Source: The Information