$2 Billion Project Aims to Supercharge Europe’s AI Infrastructure and Meet Exploding Demand for Compute Power


OpenAI is bringing its ambitious Stargate AI infrastructure project to Europe, partnering with UK-based startup Nscale to build a massive AI gigafactory in Norway. The facility, modeled after OpenAI’s $500 billion U.S. Stargate initiative, is designed to meet Europe’s urgent need for high-performance compute capacity amid a sharp rise in AI adoption across industries.

As European companies rush to integrate AI into everyday operations, experts have warned that the region lacks the infrastructure needed to support this growth. Responding to that challenge, Nscale will invest $1 billion to design and construct the Norway-based data centre, with Norwegian engineering firm Aker matching the investment.

This marks OpenAI’s first major data centre project in Europe. The facility is expected to deliver 230 megawatts of computing power by the end of 2026, providing the backbone for AI innovation in sectors ranging from research and science to enterprise and public services.

“Europe needs more compute to realise the full potential of AI for all Europeans — from developers and researchers to startups and scientists,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.
“Stargate Norway will help drive the next wave of AI breakthroughs and economic progress for Europe, in Europe.”

The gigafactory will support up to 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs and is designed to scale further in coming years. According to Nscale, priority access to compute resources will be given to Norway’s AI ecosystem, with additional capacity offered to users across the UK, Nordics, and Northern Europe.

This initiative comes as Europe ramps up its AI infrastructure spending. Earlier this year, France pledged over €100 billion in data centre investments, while the UK announced plans to ease planning regulations to fast-track AI-related construction.

With its European Stargate now officially in the works, OpenAI is solidifying its role as a global force in shaping the future of AI infrastructure.