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OpenAI lifts projected computing spend to around $750 billion through 2030

OpenAI lifts projected computing spend to around $750 billion through 2030

The company raised its estimate from about $600 billion as it expands cloud commitments and pushes further into owned infrastructure, including a $20 billion start on its Camellia data center project in Georgia.

Fact Check
The WSJ exclusive directly confirms that OpenAI raised its projected cloud computing spend through 2030 to about $750 billion (up from about $600 billion) and committed $20 billion to a new Georgia data-center project. The Effingham Herald independently confirms the $20 billion Camellia data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia. Business Insider corroborates the $600 billion baseline and the $750 billion revised range. The claim's cloud-provider capacity expansion component is not directly verified in the fetched sources but is consistent with OpenAI's reported infrastructure ramp-up. Overall the core, distinctive claims are well-supported by primary reporting.
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Summary

OpenAI has increased its projected spending on computing infrastructure through 2030 to about $750 billion from roughly $600 billion, underscoring the scale of investment needed to train and run increasingly capable AI models. The revised figure, reported by The Wall Street Journal, reflects new cloud contracts and a broader shift toward infrastructure OpenAI designs and develops itself. A centerpiece of that effort is Project Camellia in Effingham County, Georgia, where OpenAI said it will commit $20 billion to begin development of a data center at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, backed by a 3.2 gigawatt power agreement with Georgia Power to be delivered in phases from 2028 to 2032. The company said the site will be privately funded and that residents will not bear its infrastructure or electricity costs. OpenAI has acquired the land, is selecting a partner to build and operate the facility, and hired former xAI infrastructure executive Brent Mayo to oversee data center construction and delivery under Uday Ruddarraju, chief technology officer of computing capacity. The spending expansion comes as investors and executives weigh whether revenue growth can keep pace with OpenAI's long-term compute obligations. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has privately expressed concern the company could struggle to meet future commitments if growth lags, while audited 2025 financial documents reported in June showed $13.07 billion in revenue, $34 billion in costs and expenses, a $20.92 billion operating loss and an approximately $38.5 billion net loss.

Terms & Concepts
  • cloud contracts: Agreements with cloud providers for computing capacity, storage and related infrastructure services.
  • data center: A facility that houses servers, networking equipment and power systems used to run digital and AI workloads.
  • gigawatt power agreement: A large electricity supply contract measured in gigawatts, often used for energy-intensive facilities such as major data centers.