Nvidia is weighing a $250 billion guarantee to back OpenAI's lease of SoftBank's 10-gigawatt Ohio data center campus, according to a report from @tomshardware. The guarantee would enable OpenAI to secure one of the largest planned data center facilities globally, with Nvidia also discussing a separate $350 billion chip financing deal for the site.
Key facts
- $250 billion guarantee for OpenAI's lease of Ohio campus.
- 10-gigawatt power capacity for SoftBank's planned data center.
- $350 billion separate chip financing deal under discussion.
- Combined $600 billion in potential commitments from Nvidia.
- No official comment from Nvidia, SoftBank, or OpenAI.
Nvidia is reportedly considering a $250 billion guarantee to back OpenAI's lease of SoftBank's 10-gigawatt Ohio data center campus, according to a report from @tomshardware. The guarantee would allow OpenAI to secure the massive facility, which is among the largest planned data center campuses globally. Nvidia is also said to be discussing a separate $350 billion deal to finance chips for the site.
The combined $600 billion in potential commitments underscores the escalating capital requirements for frontier AI infrastructure. SoftBank's Ohio campus, planned at 10 gigawatts, would rival the power consumption of major metropolitan areas and represents a bet on sustained demand for AI compute.
Neither Nvidia, SoftBank, nor OpenAI have commented on the report. The scale of the guarantees — if confirmed — would dwarf typical data center financing, suggesting a structural shift in how AI compute capacity is funded. Nvidia's willingness to backstop such a deal aligns with its strategy of securing demand for its chips amid supply chain constraints, but also exposes it to significant financial risk if AI demand softens.
Key Takeaways
- Nvidia may guarantee $250B for OpenAI's Ohio data center lease, with a $350B chip financing deal, per @tomshardware.
- Unconfirmed but signals massive AI infrastructure funding.
The Strategic Logic
For Nvidia, the guarantee serves dual purposes: it locks in a massive buyer for its next-generation chips (potentially the $350 billion deal) and deepens its relationship with OpenAI, which remains one of its largest customers. For SoftBank, it de-risks a speculative campus buildout that would otherwise require substantial pre-leasing commitments. For OpenAI, it secures compute capacity at a scale needed for training future models like GPT-6.
Risks and Skepticism
The $250 billion figure is unconfirmed and would represent one of the largest corporate guarantees in history. If OpenAI's growth stalls or compute demand shifts, Nvidia could be left holding the liability. The report's source, @tomshardware, did not disclose its sourcing, so readers should treat the numbers with caution until official confirmations emerge.
What to watch
Watch for official statements from Nvidia, SoftBank, or OpenAI on the report. If confirmed, the deal would signal a new era of infrastructure financing where chipmakers become de facto landlords. Also track SoftBank's progress on the Ohio campus construction timeline — any delays would test the guarantee's terms.
[Updated 27 Jul via tomshardware]
The campus is planned on Department of Energy land in Piketon, Ohio, a former uranium enrichment site, according to reports [per DCD News]. This location adds a layer of federal oversight and potential regulatory complexity to the already unprecedented financing discussions.
