Sam Altman seeks to make AI as accessible as electricity

Late in 2023, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, began pitching a bold plan aimed at developing the immense computing infrastructure required for advanced AI. As per reports, his proposal, presented to investors in the UAE, chip manufacturers in Asia, and US officials, involves a global initiative to build computer chip factories and data centres, including in West Asia. Although some stakeholders and regulators have raised concerns, discussions have expanded into Europe and Canada.

Following pushback, including concerns from US officials about building essential technology in West Asia, Altman has scaled his proposal down to hundreds of billions of dollars. His new strategy focuses on securing support from US government officials by first developing data centres domestically. The company is also trying to build a coalition of companies, including Microsoft, investors, and chipmakers, although the specifics remain unclear. Simultaneously, the company is negotiating a separate $6.5 billion funding round, valuing the company at $150 billion.

Altman’s initial request for trillions of dollars, which was met with scepticism and criticism, has since been revised to a more attainable goal of hundreds of billions. The scale down reflects the realities of regulatory hurdles and concerns about building AI infrastructure in politically sensitive regions. Despite the reduction in scope, the ambition remains to create a global system of data centres and chip factories that can meet the future demands of AI.

The complexity of Altman’s global AI infrastructure plan involves navigating diverse geopolitical, regulatory, and economic environments. While the discussions have expanded to Europe and Canada, convincing various governments, especially in regions like West Asia, remains a critical hurdle. The plan's success depends on overcoming international political concerns, aligning with export controls, and managing the technical logistics of building data centres across multiple continents.

Altman’s push for a massive global AI infrastructure has broader implications for the future of AI development. By laying the groundwork for unprecedented computing power, the company could accelerate innovations that transform industries, but it could also spark debates about the ethical, regulatory, and societal impacts of such rapid advancements. Governments may increasingly scrutinise and regulate AI projects, given the potential for AI to reshape economies and labour markets on a global scale.