OpenAI pauses UK data centre deal over energy costs and regulation

The project was part of a package of tech investment promising the UK could become an AI superpower.

OpenAI has paused its Stargate infrastructure project in the UK, citing high energy costs and regulatory challenges as obstacles to long-term investment.

OpenAI has paused its Stargate UK project, citing high energy costs and regulatory challenges, impacting the UK's AI growth strategy.

OpenAI has halted its Stargate UK data centre project, citing energy costs and regulatory issues as factors.

OpenAI is pausing its UK data center project, citing high energy costs and regulatory conditions, marking a setback for the UK's AI ambitions.

OpenAI has paused its Stargate UK data centre initiative due to an unfavourable regulatory climate and elevated energy costs, delaying the UK's advancement as an AI compute hub until conditions improve.

OpenAI has paused its main data centre project in Britain due to an unfavourable regulatory environment and high energy costs, impacting the UK's ambition to become a global AI hub.

OpenAI has paused its main data centre project in Britain due to an unfavourable regulatory environment and high energy costs, affecting the UK's goal to become a global AI hub.

OpenAI has paused its planned Stargate AI infrastructure project in the UK, citing high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty as reasons for the halt.

OpenAI has paused its Stargate UK data center project due to high energy costs and regulatory issues, impacting the UK's AI infrastructure plans.

OpenAI has paused its UK data centre project, Stargate UK, citing an unfavourable regulatory environment and high energy costs, impacting the UK's goal to become a global AI hub.

OpenAI has halted its major data centre project in Britain, citing unfavourable regulations and high energy costs, affecting the UK's ambition to become a global AI hub.

OpenAI has put its Stargate UK project on hold, citing high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty, in a setback for the UK's ambitions to position itself as a global AI hub.

OpenAI has paused its flagship UK data centre project, Stargate UK, citing high energy costs and regulatory hurdles. The move threatens the government’s AI growth strategy, which relied on a £31 billion package of tech investment announced in September. For UK businesses banking on domestic AI compute capacity, the delay raises fresh questions about whether Britain can deliver the infrastructure its AI ambitions require.

ChatGPT developer OpenAI has halted plans for a major UK data centre project due to energy costs and regulation. The US technology giant had agreed to deploy its Stargate data centre project at a new artificial intelligence (AI) growth zone in the north-east of England. OpenAI added: “In the meantime, we are investing in talent and expanding our local presence, while also delivering on the commitments under our MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the government to adopt frontier AI in UK public services.”

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is pausing its main data centre project in Britain over an unfavourable regulatory environment and high energy costs, dealing a blow to the UK government's push to position the country as a global AI hub. OpenAI launched the Stargate UK project in partnership with Nvidia and Nscale last September, timed to coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Britain that generated 150 billion pounds ($201.14 billion) of inward investment overall.

ChatGPT developer OpenAI has halted plans for a significant UK data centre project, citing high energy costs and regulatory challenges as barriers to investment. The US technology giant had intended to establish its “Stargate” data centre initiative within a new artificial intelligence growth zone in the north-east of England. However, OpenAI said the plans are now on hold, awaiting “the right conditions” to facilitate long-term infrastructure investment across the UK.

OpenAI has paused its £31 billion Stargate UK project, citing soaring energy costs and regulatory uncertainty in the UK. The initiative aimed to build a major data center in north-east England in partnership with Nvidia and Nscale, with the goal of scaling up to 31,000 GPUs. However, challenges such as high energy prices and unclear AI regulations have stalled progress. OpenAI has left the door open for resuming the project if conditions improve, but its viability remains uncertain.

OpenAI has paused its Stargate UK data centre project, citing energy costs and the regulatory environment as the primary reasons. The announcement is a blow to the UK government that positioned the project as a centrepiece of its AI ambitions when it was unveiled last September. The pause is also unwelcome news for Nscale, the London-headquartered data centre developer that was a central partner in the project.