From the battle of models to the power struggle: The AI arms race behind OpenAI and SoftBank's $1 billion investment

2026-01-10 01:29:18

OpenAI and SoftBank Group each invested $500 million to support SB Energy in building data centers, jointly investing $1 billion. This investment not only creates an infrastructure collaboration project but also deeply reflects a long-overlooked reality in the AI era: whoever controls energy, holds the initiative in AI competition. The contest escalating from computing power to energy resources is redefining the competitive landscape among tech giants.

Urgency of the AI Energy Crisis

Why invest in data centers now?

According to the latest news, OpenAI has chosen SB Energy to build and operate its 1.2 GW data center in Miramar County, Texas. Behind this figure lies the real pressure of the AI industry: 1 gigawatt of power can supply approximately 750,000 American households, and this is just for OpenAI’s needs.

Related reports indicate that at CES 2026, while the AI revolution was celebrated across the board, a critical issue was collectively overlooked: where does the electricity for these AI systems come from? Data shows that global data centers consume about 2% of the world’s electricity, with 40% of that used for cooling. More worryingly, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 40% of AI data centers could shut down due to power shortages.

This is no alarmist talk. Sam Altman has publicly stated that solving AI energy issues requires an investment of $7 trillion. Against this backdrop, the $1 billion investment from OpenAI and SoftBank appears particularly targeted.

Key Data Comparison

Indicator	Value	Meaning
This investment amount	$1 billion	Each invests $500 million
Data center capacity	1.2 GW	Power for about 750,000 households
Global data center electricity share	2%	And continuing to grow
Cooling cost proportion	40%	Part of energy cost structure
Estimated shutdown risk	40%	Power shortage rate for AI data centers by 2027

Strategic Upgrade: From Models to Infrastructure

OpenAI’s New Approach

Behind this investment lies a deeper strategic shift. OpenAI is upgrading from a pure model company to an infrastructure controller. Previously, OpenAI’s competitiveness came from algorithms and data. Now, it must ensure sufficient electricity to run these models.

SB Energy’s collaboration is based on OpenAI’s “StarGate Project.” Essentially, this project is a race for infrastructure, not just technology. In other words, OpenAI is saying: I not only want to develop the best models but also control the energy that powers them.

Why is SoftBank involved?

SoftBank Group’s $500 million investment is not casual. SoftBank’s Vision Fund has been betting on a future where AI and energy converge. Through the SB Energy platform, SoftBank can participate in the long-term benefits of AI data centers and establish influence in energy infrastructure. This is a classic “control upstream resources” strategy.

Industry Trend: Energy as the New Battlefield

Why is this important?

This investment marks a new phase in AI competition. Over the past two years, everyone has been competing over who has smarter models and more powerful computing. Now, the focus shifts to who can guarantee stable electricity supply.

Related news mentions that Google’s Alphabet recently surpassed Apple to become the second-largest company by market value globally, mainly due to the outstanding performance of the Gemini AI model. But what underpins this success? Energy. Google is sourcing nuclear and renewable energy worldwide to support its AI infrastructure.

The investments by OpenAI and SoftBank follow the same logic: whoever can ensure energy supply stability and cost advantages will stay ahead in AI competition.

How will this change the landscape?

From my personal perspective, this investment may accelerate several trends:

Energy costs becoming a key competitive advantage: Small AI companies may be eliminated due to inability to secure stable power
Vertical integration of tech giants: Companies controlling energy will truly control the AI supply chain
Deepening geopolitical influence: Energy-rich regions (like Texas) will become new hubs for AI industry
Infrastructure investment becoming essential: No longer optional, but a survival condition

Future Outlook

Based on current information, we may see:

Other tech giants (Google, Meta, etc.) accelerating their energy infrastructure investments
Closer and more frequent cooperation between energy companies and tech firms
AI chip manufacturers beginning to layout energy supply chains
The emergence of a “Energy + Chips + Models” vertical integration ecosystem

This is not alarmist. The demand for AI computing power is growing exponentially, while traditional power grid expansion cannot keep pace. Whoever can solve this problem will hold the initiative in the future AI era.

Summary

OpenAI and SoftBank each investing $500 million to support SB Energy’s data center construction may seem like an infrastructure investment, but it actually reflects a fundamental shift in AI industry competition. Energy is no longer just a supporting resource but a decisive resource.

The core significance of this investment lies in three points: first, addressing the energy bottleneck faced by AI development; second, ensuring OpenAI’s control over infrastructure; third, signaling that the entire industry is about to enter the “energy battle” stage.

From another perspective, this may be the most direct answer to the question collectively avoided at CES 2026 — the electricity for the AI era is now arranged accordingly.

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