SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son Unveils $500 Billion AI Data Center Project in Ohio SoftBank Group has announced a massive data center project in Ohio, led by CEO Masayoshi Son, with total planned investment reaching up to $500 billion—potentially the largest construction project of its kind in the U.S. Speaking at the site alongside senior officials, including the Commerce Secretary, Son described the initiative as an unprecedented effort to build a centralized AI infrastructure hub at government scale. The project will feature a data center park with a planned capacity of 10 GW, placing it among the largest globally. It will be built on the site of a former U.S. Department of Energy uranium enrichment facility, with SoftBank also committing around $33 billion to support natural gas power generation for the campus. The first phase is expected to deliver about 800 MW of capacity, with an estimated cost of $30–40 billion and a target completion date in early 2028. This initiative builds on SoftBank’s earlier “Stargate”-style ambitions. About a year ago, Masayoshi Son, alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, outlined plans for large-scale AI infrastructure investments. Since then, OpenAI has also pursued additional data center partnerships beyond the original framework. The Ohio project highlights SoftBank’s push to consolidate massive computing power into a single location. Son emphasized the goal of achieving $500 billion in scale within one integrated campus, rather than spreading investments across multiple sites over time. On the energy side, SB Energy—a SoftBank-backed company—is leading power deployment. Co-CEO Rich Hossfeld noted that gas turbines have already been ordered, with initial deliveries expected within a year and full deployment targeted by 2029. These systems will provide around 9.2 GW of capacity, supplemented by an additional 80 MW dedicated to the data center. To put the scale in perspective, Ohio’s total power generation capacity is around 30 GW, making this project a significant addition. Large power plants in the U.S., such as major natural gas facilities, typically take years to build and scale in phases. While customer details have not yet been disclosed, SoftBank is reportedly in discussions with potential partners who may also participate in sourcing chips and equipment for the facility. The site itself spans roughly 3,700 acres in Piketon, about 113 kilometers south of Columbus. Formerly an industrial complex, it already has access to high-voltage transmission infrastructure, making it well-suited for large-scale development.
