OpenAI could build a 1-gigawatt AI data centre in India

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is reportedly considering building an artificial intelligence data centre in India. According to the Bloomberg report, the proposed facility could have a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt, placing it among the largest in the country. Players such as Microsoft, Google and Reliance have already made significant investments in India’s digital infrastructure.

According to the report, the company is in early discussions with potential Indian partners, though neither the location nor the timeline for the project has been finalised. Chief Executive Sam Altman is expected to visit India later this month and may share further details. The company has so far declined to comment officially.

India has become an important market for the company. The data centre initiative also aligns with the government’s $1.2 billion IndiaAI Mission, which aims to develop domestic large language models and expand the country’s AI capacity.

Globally, the San Francisco-based company has been investing heavily in a project known as Stargate, a planned network of AI data centres. In the US, it has partnered with SoftBank and Oracle to build facilities that could rival some of the world’s largest computing hubs. Reports suggest OpenAI has already committed more than 4.5 gigawatts of capacity in these projects.

The Bloomberg report also noted that the US government recently confirmed export controls on AI chips would not extend to India, removing a significant barrier for companies such as OpenAI.

OpenAI is also working with the US government on its 'OpenAI for Countries' programme, which aims to build AI infrastructure aligned with democratic values and to counter China’s influence in the sector.