OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, and Sur Energy, a clean energy company founded by Argentine entrepreneurs in the United States, signed a letter of intent for a data center project in Argentina that will require an investment of up to $25 billion, according to the Argentine government reported this Friday.

It is worth noting that the project, named StarGate Argentina, will be the largest within OpenAI's global StarGate strategy, which aims to create an international network of data centers specialized in artificial intelligence (IA).

It is important that this recent agreement transcends the technological aspects, as it also constitutes a geopolitical move that reflects the strengthening of relations between the United States and Argentina. According to sources close to the project, OpenAI considers the country a strategic ally to lead technological development in the region.

“This milestone goes beyond infrastructure. It is about putting artificial intelligence in the hands of people throughout Argentina,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

As a reference, the first phase of the project will begin development in 2026, with an estimated duration of 12 months for its initial construction. The initial investment will be between $7 billion and $10 billion, and the project will be registered under the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI) of Argentina.

Similarly, OpenAI will act as an offtaker, meaning it will purchase all the computing capacity generated by the center, ensuring its economic viability even without directly participating in the investment. For its part, Sur Energy will be responsible for the financing, in partnership with a global cloud solutions developer and local energy companies such as Central Puerto and Genneia.

Argentina will have the largest data center in Latin America

Currently, OpenAI has more than 800 million weekly users of ChatGPT and has become the world's most valuable startup, with a valuation of $500 billion, after completing a secondary stock sale last week.

According to the announcement, the new center will reach a total capacity of 500 megawatts, becoming the largest of its kind in Latin America. This level of power is essential to support the complex operations of training and executing AI models, which require thousands of state-of-the-art graphics processing units, mainly from the popular manufacturer Nvidia.

One of the pillars of the project will be the use of renewable energies, in line with Sur Energy's vision of promoting sustainable technological infrastructure. According to the company led by Emiliano Kargieman, the goal is to combine green energy with high processing capacity, contributing to the global growth of artificial intelligence without increasing the carbon footprint.

“StarGate Argentina combines the unique potential of our renewable energies with critical infrastructure for AI on a global scale. It is a historic opportunity that will turn the country into a relevant player on the new global digital and energy map,” stated Emiliano Kargieman.

On the other hand, behind the gestation of the project was Mat Travizano, a physicist, entrepreneur, and Argentine investor based in Silicon Valley, who recently passed away in an accident in California.

Travizano was a key bridge between the U.S. technology ecosystem and the Argentine government. His vision of an “Argentina AI hub” was the seed that gave rise to the current initiative, continued by his partners Emiliano Kargieman and Demian Reidel, president of Nucleoeléctrica Argentina and former chief advisor to the current president, Javier Milei.

The OpenAI data center will drive innovation in Argentina

The official announcement was made during a meeting in Olivos between Javier Milei, Chris Lehane (Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI) and Emiliano Kargieman. Executives from the American company also participated, such as Benjamín Schwarz, Mohammed Husain, Ivy Shindewolf, and Nicolás Andrade, in charge of public policies for Latin America and the Caribbean.

From the Argentine Presidency, it was highlighted that the meeting reflects OpenAI's interest in investing in global technological infrastructure, aligned with the country's strategy to consolidate itself as a hub for sustainable innovation.

OpenAI plans to invest $500 billion worldwide in its StarGate network, with similar facilities in Texas, Germany, Norway, Japan, and South Korea. However, StarGate Argentina will be the largest and most advanced, positioning Patagonia as the epicenter of data processing in the southern hemisphere.

In addition to its role as an exporter, the project envisions the local use of computational capacity, allowing Argentine companies, universities, and public agencies to access advanced artificial intelligence. This infrastructure is expected to boost sectors such as education, health, energy, and industry, improving competitiveness and accelerating the country's digitalization.

According to estimates from OpenAI, nearly 30% of Argentine companies are already integrating AI solutions into their operations, and this figure could reach 70% by 2026. Additionally, the use of ChatGPT and the OpenAI API in the country has tripled over the past year, placing Argentina among the top five countries in Latin America with the highest technological adoption.