SoftBank Plans World’s Largest AI Data Center in U.S. as Power Challenges Loom
SoftBank plans to invest $500 billion in Ohio to build the world’s largest AI data center and equip it with advanced AI computing hardware. Initial power demand alone would reach 10 gigawatts, comparable to the consumption of a major city. The scale underscores whether the U.S. power grid, generation capacity and transmission infrastructure can support the expansion of AI.
The latest developments indicate that OpenAI is in talks to lease the data center and could sign an agreement lasting as long as 20 years to lock in costs. NVIDIA is also considering financial support through a “lend first, lease later” model. The overall project is expected to be completed in early 2028, but securing a stable 10-gigawatt power supply remains the biggest challenge to bringing it online on schedule.
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The history behind this eventMubadala Weighs Funding Japan’s Largest AI Data Center in Akita
Japan is seeking to expand artificial-intelligence computing capacity beyond the established Tokyo and Osaka hubs as generative AI drives sharp growth in demand for power-intensive infrastructure. Bitgrit and Akita-based technology company S2 signed a cooperation agreement with Akita City on Oct. 27, 2025, laying the groundwork for a data center that would tap the prefecture’s wind and other renewable-energy resources while supporting Japan’s AI ambitions and data sovereignty.
Japanese and US-linked companies now plan to work with Akita Prefecture and Akita City on what is billed as Japan’s largest AI data center, with projected power demand of 300 to 500 megawatts and construction costs of as much as 2 trillion yen. Abu Dhabi sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company is in talks to provide investment and financing, as the United Arab Emirates seeks to accelerate its national AI transformation and diversify geopolitical exposure.
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