OpenAI Raises Compute Spending Forecast to $750 Billion Through 2030
The AI lab commits $20 billion to its first self-built data center in Georgia as infrastructure costs dwarf revenue growth.
OpenAI has increased its projected spending on computing and cloud infrastructure to approximately $750 billion through 2030, up from roughly $600 billion earlier in 2026, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal and CryptoBriefing.
The revised figure represents one of the largest capital commitments in tech history and underscores the industry's escalating bet on raw computing power as the path to more advanced AI systems.
Project Camellia Anchors Own Infrastructure Push
A centerpiece of the spending plan is Project Camellia, a $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia. The facility includes a 3.2 gigawatt power contract with Georgia Power, with electricity delivery scheduled in phases between 2028 and 2032.
Project Camellia marks OpenAI's first self-built data center, signaling a strategic shift from relying entirely on cloud partners like Microsoft Azure toward owning more of its infrastructure footprint. The $750 billion is earmarked for new cloud service agreements with existing providers and increasingly for building out OpenAI's own data center footprint, including Project Camellia.
To support the infrastructure push, OpenAI has recruited talent from competing AI labs. The company hired Brent Mayo and several infrastructure architects who previously worked on xAI's Colossus data center under Elon Musk, according to multiple reports.
Losses Widen as Revenue Surges
The spending commitment comes as OpenAI's financial profile shows rapid growth paired with substantial losses. The company reported an operating loss of $20.92 billion in 2025 on revenue of $13.07 billion, according to audited financial documents verified by the Financial Times.
Revenue nearly quadrupled from $3.7 billion in 2024, but the gap between income and infrastructure costs remains wide. CEO Sam Altman had previously floated an even more ambitious $1.4 trillion investment figure before scaling back to $600 billion, then raising it again to the current $750 billion projection.
Energy Markets Feel the Strain
The scale of OpenAI's power requirements highlights growing tension in energy markets. AI data centers now compete with other high-demand industries, including Bitcoin mining, for access to grid capacity.
Project Camellia's 3.2 gigawatt contract alone represents a significant portion of Georgia Power's available capacity, illustrating how AI infrastructure planning increasingly intersects with regional energy policy and utility planning.
The $750 billion commitment dwarfs OpenAI's current revenue and represents a wager that frontier AI capabilities will continue demanding exponential increases in computing power. Whether that bet pays off depends on the company's ability to monetize future models at a scale that justifies the infrastructure outlay.