zlacker

>>tedsan+(OP)
You have to keep in mind Microsoft is planning on spending almost 100B in datacenter capex this year and they're not alone. This is basically OpenAI matching the major cloud provider's spending.

This could also be (at least partly) a reaction to Microsoft threatening to pull OpenAI's cloud credits last year. OpenAI wants to maintain independence and with compute accounting for 25–50% of their expenses (currently) [2], this strategy may actually be prudent.

[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/03/microsoft-expects-to-spend-8...

[2] https://youtu.be/7EH0VjM3dTk?si=hZe0Og6BjqLxbVav&t=1077

>>serjes+ja
Serious question - why Texas???

>>Secret+Wm
Natural gas to power the turbines while the nuclear plant are built, I guess. Also is Texas more open to large-scale development than elsewhere?

>>chicke+v61
Any downsides?

>>Secret+Iz1
Existing underinvestment in infrastructure and its maintenance, extreme weather, water resource limitations, some human rights issues.