American multinational tech major Microsoft and OpenAI, parent company of popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, are reportedly planning a $100 billion collaboration to build a supercomputer. Dubbed “Stargate”, the data center project is set to launch in 2028.
According to a report by The Information, Microsoft is likely to fund the project, which would be 100 times more expensive than existing data centers. Stargate is reported to be the centerpiece of a series of supercomputers the companies plan to build over the next six years.
Microsoft and OpenAI execs have been drawing up plans for a data center project that would contain a supercomputer with millions of specialized server chips to power OpenAI’s AI.
The project could cost as much as $100 billion.https://t.co/24msopNTzu
By @anissagardizy8 & @amir
— The Information (@theinformation) March 29, 2024
While Satya Nadella-led Microsoft has remained tight-lipped on the specifics of Stargate, a company spokesperson told Reuters, “We are always planning for the next generation of infrastructure innovations needed to continue pushing the frontier of AI capability.” Additionally, the project’s potential expenses could even exceed $115 billion, surpassing Microsoft’s 2023 capital expenditures for servers and equipment by more than threefold, the report added.
The implications of this project are far-reaching. Stargate, if realized, could unlock breakthroughs in various fields, from scientific research and drug discovery to materials science and climate modeling. The sheer processing power of such a supercomputer could accelerate the development of advanced AI applications like natural language processing and computer vision.
However, a major hurdle lies in acquiring the necessary AI chips, currently experiencing a significant shortage. Additional concerns including the environmental impact of a data center of this scale needs careful consideration. Furthermore, the ethical implications of such powerful AI require open discussion. Transparency and responsible development will also be crucial to ensuring that Stargate serves as a force for good.
