Stargate Eyes UK Expansion as $500B AI Data Center Project Looks Beyond U.S.
Stargate — the $500 billion AI data center project backed by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle — is now looking beyond U.S. borders, with the UK emerging as a strong contender for future investment. The UK government’s efforts to attract AI infrastructure, including plans to boost electricity access for data centers, have caught the attention of the project’s leaders, alongside other European candidates like Germany and France.
The ambitious U.S.-based project, first announced by President Donald Trump in January, is already working on a major buildout in Texas and scoping 16 other U.S. states. For now, Stargate remains focused on "getting shovels in the ground" at home, but insiders say international expansion — especially to the UK — could follow if the rollout proves successful. OpenAI called the UK "one of its most important markets outside of the U.S." and CEO Sam Altman has said he'd "love" to see a Stargate-like initiative in Europe.
Despite the global ambitions, the project faces headwinds from Trump’s new tariff policies, especially the steep 145% tariff on Chinese imports. Analysts estimate this could drive U.S. data center costs up by more than $11 billion a year, adding extra pressure as SoftBank and others work to raise an initial $100 billion for the venture.
