Trump unveils US $500 billion AI initiative backed by Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank

USA – President Donald Trump has announced the launch of Project Stargate, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at building the infrastructure necessary to power advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

With an investment of at least US $500 billion, the project will focus on creating “colossal data centers” and campuses across the United States to drive innovation in AI applications, with a particular emphasis on improving health outcomes.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Trump introduced the initiative alongside key partners, including Oracle’s Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.

The ambitious project, already underway, includes the construction of data centers, with the first site in Abilene, Texas, featuring ten buildings, each spanning half a million square feet. Ellison revealed that this number would expand to 20 buildings and extend to other locations.

Ellison explained how Project Stargate will leverage AI to revolutionize healthcare. “Not just maintaining electronic health records, but by analyzing them, doctors will gain better insights into patient conditions, enabling them to deliver superior healthcare plans,” he said.

He also envisioned AI enabling a rural doctor at an Indian reservation to access treatment protocols used by leading institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering or Stanford.

Masayoshi Son announced an immediate US $100 billion investment in the project, with plans to scale it to US $500 billion within four years.

Referring to a previous AI investment of US $100 billion he pledged at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, Son humorously recalled Trump urging him to double the commitment.

“Now I came back with US $500 billion,” he joked. Trump clarified that this funding is separate from Son’s earlier pledge.

The initiative will be funded by the Abu Dhabi-based technology investment firm MGX, with NVIDIA as a technology partner and Microsoft providing additional support.

Son emphasized the transformative potential of AI, stating, “This is not just for business. This will help people’s lives and solve many issues that were once considered insurmountable.”

He predicted the imminent arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and the eventual emergence of artificial superintelligence to tackle humanity’s most complex challenges.

Altman expressed excitement about the project’s potential to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

“We will be amazed at how quickly we are curing cancers, heart diseases, and other conditions. The ability to deliver high-quality healthcare and rapidly cure diseases will be one of the most important contributions of this technology,” he said.

Ellison highlighted the development of AI-driven cancer vaccines as one of the most promising applications.

“All cancer tumors release small fragments into the bloodstream. By using AI to analyze a simple blood test, we can detect cancers early,” he explained.

Once a tumor is gene sequenced, AI can design a personalized mRNA vaccine within 48 hours, providing a tailored solution for individual patients.

The initiative is expected to create over 100,000 American jobs and establish the United States as a leader in AI infrastructure, positioning it to compete with nations like China that are advancing rapidly in the AI domain.

Trump pledged to support the project through emergency declarations to streamline the development of energy facilities necessary to power AI data centers.

“They’ll produce a lot of electricity, and we’ll make it easy for them to build energy plants at their own facilities,” Trump said.

Ellison summed up the vision, stating, “This is the promise of AI and the promise of the future.”

Repealing Biden’s AI standards

The announcement of Project Stargate comes just one day after Trump revoked former President Joe Biden’s 2023 executive order on responsible AI development.

Biden’s order had sought to establish safety and trustworthiness in AI applications across sectors, including healthcare, and tasked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with overseeing safe deployment and addressing risks associated with AI.

Trump’s sweeping order, titled “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions,” reversed 66 of Biden’s orders and 11 Presidential Memoranda.

Musk questions the feasibility

Shortly after the announcement, Elon Musk, head of the newly renamed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), took to X to question the project’s financial viability.

“They don’t actually have the money,” he claimed, adding, “SoftBank has well under US $10B secured. I have that on good authority.”

DOGE, formerly the U.S. Digital Service, was renamed through an executive order signed by Trump earlier this week. It will operate within the Executive Office of the President.