OpenAI, in a move to expand its artificial intelligence(AI) ecosystem in Europe, has launched Stargate Norway, the tech giant’s first major AI data center initiative on the continent. Marking OpenAI’s entry into Europe’s critical AI infrastructure landscape, it is designed to strengthen and improve Europe’s computing power, ensure data sovereignty, as well as accelerate AI development across the entire region.
The Stargate Norway facility is another flagship project under OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” program, which aims to collaborate with nations globally to create sovereign, scalable AI infrastructure that are aligned with local economies and regulations.
According to the company’s blog post, the facility is designed to initially deliver 230 megawatts (MW) of data center capacity, with the potential to expand by an additional 290 megawatts (MW) in future phases. And with the aim to become one of Europe’s largest AI data centers, the facility has a target to deliver 100,000 NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs) by the end of 2026.
To achieve and deliver these goals, OpenAI partnered with a company in the AI industry and another in the energy consumption field: Nscale and Aker ASA.
The Stargate Norway project will be a joint venture between British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian industrial group Aker ASA, with each company investing around $1 billion for the initial phase of the project.
“The site will be designed and built by Nscale and is expected to be owned by a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker,” OpenAI said. “Aker and Nscale will also work to provide priority access to Norway’s AI ecosystem, ensuring homegrown AI start-ups and scientific researchers can benefit from the additional compute capacity.”
Meanwhile, OpenAI will act as the “off-taker,” in the sense that the tech giant will be committing to purchasing data center compute infrastructure the factory will eventually produce.
“Infrastructure like this is really important and unlocks a ton of potential for developers, researchers, scientists, and startups all across Norway and Europe,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a video presentation.
OpenAI’s choice to build this project in Narvik, a town in Norway, is also strategic. The town is rich in renewable hydropower resources, has a naturally cool climate that is ideal for data center cooling, and it also benefits from low electricity costs compared to the rest of Europe. And OpenAI has promised that Stargate Norway is committed to sustainability.
According to the company, the entire facility will run on locally sourced renewable energy, primarily hydropower, which aligns with Norway’s power grid that is about 98% renewable.
Advanced closed-loop liquid cooling technology will efficiently manage the enormous heat generated by the GPUs, while waste heat will be redirected to support low-carbon initiatives in the region. This approach symbolizes a new era where AI infrastructure is both cutting-edge and remains environmentally conscious and responsible.
As such, the data center will not only serve OpenAI’s needs but will also give the company priority access to Norway’s vibrant AI ecosystem, including emerging AI startups and scientific researchers.
This launch aligns with Europe’s broader strategic push toward AI sovereignty and digital independence. The European Union (EU), in its EU AI Continent Action Plan, recently unveiled plans to invest around €2 to build 13 AI “Gigafactories” across its member states to triple the continent’s AI computing capacity. And it goes without saying that these efforts are motivated by the sensitive nature of business and government data, as well as a desire to strengthen the continent’s technological autonomy amid the rising competition with global powers and foreign companies.
This Stargate Norway project comes after the launch of Stargate UAE that happened earlier in the year.
