Why OpenAI wants a Stargate data centre in Singapore
And why Singapore might be interested.

OpenAI wants to build Stargate AI data centres in Asia. Here's why Singapore may be a likelier location than you think.
The Stargate strategy
You have probably seen the news. OpenAI has brokered a deal to build a massive AI data centre in the UAE and is now looking at the Asia Pacific.
Why does OpenAI want to build AI data centres around the world? Beyond the public spiel of strategic partnerships and supporting societal goals, the real reasons are probably:
- Counterbalance China.
- Secure APAC dominance.
- Hedge against sustainability concerns.
Separately, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, who was born in Taiwan, this week at Computex announced a 100MW data centre, to be built in phases.
Though we are still trying to figure out how to use AI, continued advancements make it increasingly likely that not having an in-country AI data centre could be a strategic disadvantage.
Sustainable data centres, please
A mature data centre hub, Singapore has for years now pushed for more sustainable data centres.
Here's the 3 key phrases in its recent data centre journey:
- (2019) An initial 3-year moratorium.
- (2022) Controlled data centre growth.
- (2024) Capturing strategic opportunities.
I won't belabour the point; I've written about it extensively over the last year.
- Dissecting Singapore's 300MW for data centres.
- What's next for Singapore data centres.
- Can Singapore remake itself as the leader in sustainable data centres?
So, is Singapore a write-off for a Stargate AI data centre? Maybe not.
The clues that point to Singapore
OpenAI's chief strategy officer Jason Kwon is coming to APAC to meet government officials and potential partners. There're the usual US allies, there's India - the world's largest democracy, and then there's the Lion City.
In fact, Jason will be in town for an OpenAI event held as part of the IMDA's ATxSummit conference next week.
But why would Singapore be a desirable location?
- It is already an established data centre hub.
- Proven safe harbour for foreign investments.
- Incredible diversity of subsea cables here.
Obviously, these don't mean much by itself - since Singapore might not necessarily want an AI data centre. However, there are 3 distinct reasons why Singapore might actually be interested.
I'm out of space for this post, so I'll share it as part of my weekly newsletter that goes out every Sunday.
In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts. Would an AI data centre be beneficial?