Behind OpenAI's $500 billion energy plan: The new bottleneck caused by AI computing power explosion

OpenAI announced the “Stargate Community Program” on Tuesday, which is not only an energy management solution but also reflects the deep-rooted dilemma faced by the AI industry. As computing power demand grows exponentially, energy supply is becoming a more urgent constraint than chips. This $500 billion multi-year investment plan is rewriting the infrastructure strategies of tech giants.

Energy Becomes the New Bottleneck for AI Development

According to the latest data disclosed by OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, the company’s growth trajectory is very clear:

What does this data indicate? The scale of computing power nearly doubles each year, and revenue fully follows this curve. To put it plainly, without energy, there is no computing power; without computing power, there is no income.

As multiple tech companies are directly investing in power infrastructure to support larger data centers, energy access has become a critical constraint for AI development. This is not a problem that can be solved simply through procurement; it is a race to build the necessary infrastructure oneself.

The Substance of the “Stargate Community Program”

The core of OpenAI’s plan is very pragmatic:

• Energy Self-Sufficiency: Each “Stargate Program” site will have a tailored community plan
• Cost Transparency: Ensuring operations do not increase local community electricity costs
• Specific Forms: Possibly including providing brand-new dedicated power and storage facilities (funded entirely by the project) or increasing and paying for new energy generation and transmission resources

The cleverness of this approach lies in its not merely drawing power from the existing grid but committing to bring new energy infrastructure investments to the community. In other words, OpenAI is using its capital to create energy capacity locally, rather than becoming a contributor to energy shortages.

What’s Happening in the Industry

This is not an isolated move by OpenAI. The entire tech industry is experiencing the same awakening:

• Capital Flows Are Changing: Shifting from pure chip procurement to investing in energy infrastructure
• Geographical Competition Is Intensifying: Regions with abundant energy supplies are becoming strategic hubs for AI data centers
• Business Models Are Adjusting: Finding a balance between infrastructure investment and commercial returns

Currently, OpenAI’s annual revenue has reached over $20 billion, which provides ample cash flow to support such long-term investments. Moreover, from 2023 to 2025, the growth rate of computing power is accelerating, and this trend is unlikely to slow down.

Summary

OpenAI’s “Stargate Community Program” appears to be an energy management scheme, but in essence, it is a sober recognition of the future of the AI industry: energy is no longer optional but a fundamental infrastructure that must be invested in. When computing power becomes the key to business success, those who can better solve energy issues will gain an advantage in this competition. The launch of this plan also signals that in the coming years, AI infrastructure investment will become a top priority for tech companies’ capital allocation.