OpenAI is in talks to secure capacity at data centers in Canada as part of its global project 'Stargate'. This deployment aims to multiply the company's AI computing power on a global scale. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's global director of public affairs, has confirmed the interest and noted that the initiative aligns with Canada's digital sovereignty agenda, attracting investments, talent, and strengthening supply chains.
The company is studying three options for Canada: building its own infrastructure, contracting capacity from existing operators, or forming a local partnership. In all cases, the idea is for OpenAI to become a real on-the-ground partner, driving investments, creating skilled jobs, and promoting sovereign AI that Canada is already promoting.
Lehane compared the possible expansion into Canada with models already implemented in Europe. In Norway, OpenAI has developed a large-scale infrastructure with local partners, while in Germany it has opted for a sovereign service model, collaborating with giants such as Microsoft and SAP to offer services to regulated sectors.
Canada, with its tech corridors in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, and its access to renewable energy, represents fertile ground for the project. Recent analyses indicate that the country is in an expansion cycle with a growing demand for sovereignty in regulated industries.
At the political level, the federal AI minister, Evan Soloman, has underscored the importance of digital sovereignty as a crucial issue, highlighting the need to cooperate with international partners. This collaboration is seen as essential to attract OpenAI while maintaining local control.
The company is exploring different avenues with the Canadian government, considering the construction of complete campuses, the purchase of capacity in existing infrastructures, or the creation of joint ventures that ensure data controls and other compliance requirements. Canada, in turn, seeks guarantees of sovereignty, joint energy planning, and local economic spillovers.
The examples of Norway and Germany will serve as a reference for development in Canada, allowing a hybrid approach that combines substantial physical infrastructure for renewables with sovereign agreements for government services.
OpenAI's 'Stargate' project, launched in collaboration with major partners such as SoftBank and Oracle, seeks to mobilize large investments globally. Canada would be the next logical step in North America, given its advantages in jurisdiction, networks, and a growing data market.
The plan faces significant challenges, such as energy planning and development timelines. Canada seeks to attract OpenAI without devaluing its local companies and maintaining sovereignty. Governance could be key to a successful and collaborative development, with employment and training prospects for the local tech ecosystem.
An OpenAI deployment in Canada would raise the country's profile in the Northern Hemisphere AI markets, strengthening the role of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver as hubs of technological development and attracting suppliers to the local ecosystem.
More information and references in Cloud News.
