OpenAI to build Europe’s largest AI data hub in Norway with 100K NVIDIA GPUs

New Delhi: OpenAI has announced its first major AI data centre in Europe. Called Stargate Norway, the project is being set up in Narvik, a town in northern Norway known for its hydropower and cold climate. The site will host 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026 and is part of OpenAI's new infrastructure plan called "OpenAI for Countries."

The initiative is being launched in partnership with Nscale, a global AI cloud infrastructure firm, and Aker, a 180-year-old Norwegian industrial giant. Both companies have committed over USD 1 billion (around ₹87,00 crore) to the initial phase of the project.

The facility will be built just outside Narvik, in Kvandal. The location was chosen for very specific reasons. It has a surplus of clean hydropower, relatively low electricity rates, and a cool climate – all of which are crucial for a high-performance computing setup.

The plan is to build a facility that will run entirely on renewable power. The data centre will use a specialised cooling method called direct-to-chip liquid cooling to prevent overheating. Any extra heat from the GPUs will be redirected to nearby low-carbon businesses, the companies said.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said, "Europe needs more compute to realise the full potential of AI for all Europeans, from developers and researchers to startups and scientists, and we want to help make that happen."

Altman added that they had been looking to bring Stargate to Europe but needed the right conditions. "We think we’ve found that in Narvik with clean, affordable energy, ideal climate, and great partners in Nscale and Aker," he said.

The project is not just about building a massive server farm. OpenAI, Nscale and Aker are positioning this as a key piece of Europe's sovereign AI infrastructure.

Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale, called it "one of the first European AI Gigafactories to market." He said, "Sovereign, scalable and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive."

Aker CEO Øyvind Eriksen echoed the same view. "Artificial intelligence and advanced data operations represent the next wave of value creation," he said. Eriksen added, "As data centres shift from cost centres to value-generating assets, Norway’s energy advantage becomes a catalyst for the next generation of digital industry."

The centre is expected to start with 230 megawatts of capacity, with plans to add another 290MW. If completed, this would make it one of the biggest AI-focused data centres in Europe.

For now, Nscale and Aker will jointly build and own the site through a 50-50 partnership. OpenAI will be an initial customer but could scale usage over time.

The Stargate Norway project follows a similar effort launched earlier this year in the UAE. It also comes at a time when OpenAI is working with other governments. The company recently signed an MoU with the UK government and partnered with Estonia to bring ChatGPT into schools.

The Narvik project is still in early stages, but work has begun on prepping the site.