SoftBank Group Invests $33.3 Billion in a Large Power Plant in Ohio, USA
AFP, Tokyo, 21st — SoftBank Group announced today its plan to build a large gas-fired power plant in Ohio, USA, to provide electricity for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
SoftBank Group, which focuses on technology investment, is the main funder of ChatGPT developer OpenAI. Its distinctive CEO, Masayoshi Son, is a long-time supporter of former U.S. President Trump.
This gas-fired power plant is part of a $55 billion investment agreement between Japan and the United States. The agreement was made between Tokyo and Washington in exchange for reduced trade tariffs.
SoftBank said that the $33.3 billion power plant, with a capacity of 9.2 GW (gigawatts, or hundred thousand kilowatts), will be built at a site in Portsmouth, USA.
Masayoshi Son announced the plan at a ceremony in Ohio yesterday, stating: "I think this scale is larger than any power plant in the world. At least in the United States, this is definitely the largest power facility at a single location."
He said the goal is to develop "the smartest AI in the world."
The U.S. Department of Energy stated in a statement that the 9.2 GW gas-fired power plant is part of a broader plan to build a 10 GW data center complex at this location.
SoftBank announced today that it has formed a consortium with several major American and Japanese companies to assist in building the power plant and developing AI infrastructure.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860312366739520/
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