Stargate, a $500 billion U.S.-based data center initiative backed by SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle, is considering expanding to the UK as it looks to scale AI infrastructure globally, the

Financial Times reported Thursday.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged a pro-innovation regulatory environment, broader access to public data for researchers, and designated data center zones—all part of a push to position the UK as a global AI leader.

These measures have drawn interest from Stargate, alongside other contenders like Germany and France, sources told the FT.

In a joint statement to Reuters, SoftBank and OpenAI reaffirmed their January pledge to invest up to $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure over the next four years.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also expressed enthusiasm about launching a European version of the initiative, stating in February that the company would “love” to establish a Stargate Europe.

The Stargate project, introduced in January by U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to strengthen American AI capabilities through large-scale private sector investment—part of a broader strategy to stay ahead in the global AI race.

Investor interest in AI has soared recently, fueled by the rapid rise of generative chatbots and advanced AI agents. Photo by deepak pal, Wikimedia commons.