Core Insights - OpenAI and SoftBank are each investing $500 million in SB Energy to enhance its capabilities as a data center developer and operator [1][5] - OpenAI has chosen SB Energy to construct and manage a 1.2 gigawatt data center in Milam County, Texas, which can power approximately 750,000 US homes [1][5] - The investment does not disclose a valuation for SB Energy [1][5] Industry Context - The demand for energy is increasing as large tech firms pursue ambitious AI projects, leading to a competitive landscape for securing power to support data centers [2][5] - Companies like Meta Platforms Inc. are also investing in energy sources, with agreements potentially totaling over 6 gigawatts of nuclear power [2][5] Company Background - SB Energy, supported by SoftBank, was initially focused on renewable energy and storage but has recently expanded into data center development and operations [3][5] - The new funding follows SB Energy's previous $800 million investment from Ares Infrastructure Opportunities funds [3][5] Strategic Partnerships - The collaboration between SoftBank and OpenAI is part of a broader network of deals among tech companies that bolster the AI sector, raising concerns about potential risks if AI demand does not meet expectations [4][5] - This partnership is linked to OpenAI's Stargate initiative, which aims to invest $500 billion in data centers and infrastructure for AI in the US over four years [4][5] - The first site of the Stargate initiative is a large data center in Abilene, Texas, developed by Oracle in collaboration with Crusoe [4][5]

OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. have jointly invested $1 billion in SB Energy, deepening their push to secure power and infrastructure for the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in the United States. Under the deal, OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. will each commit $500 million to SB Energy, supporting the company’s growth as a data center developer and operator. The firms did not disclose a valuation for the investment. As part of the agreement, OpenAI has selected SB Energy to build and operate ...

OpenAI and SoftBank Group Corp. have jointly invested $1 billion in SB Energy, an infrastructure company that’s working with the tech firms on a massive US buildout of data centers to power artificial intelligence. OpenAI and SoftBank will each invest $500 million in SB Energy to support the energy firm’s growth as a data center developer and operator, the companies said in a statement Friday. OpenAI also said it has selected SB Energy to build and operate its 1.2 gigawatt data center in Milam County, Tex ...

Market Overview - U.S. stocks are rising, with the S&P 500 up 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average adding 237 points (0.5%), and the Nasdaq composite increasing by 0.7% [1] - The gains follow a mixed U.S. job market report, which may delay interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve but does not eliminate the possibility [1][2] Job Market Insights - The U.S. Labor Department reported that employers hired fewer workers in December than expected, although the unemployment rate improved [2] - The job market is characterized as being in a "low-hire, low-fire" state [2] Company Performances - Vistra, a power company, surged 11.9% after signing a 20-year electricity supply deal with Meta Platforms [3] - Oklo's stock jumped 12.3% after announcing a deal with Meta Platforms to secure nuclear fuel for its project in Ohio [3] - Homebuilders and housing market companies saw gains following President Trump's announcement to lower mortgage rates, with Builders FirstSource rising 8.5%, Lennar up 5.1%, PulteGroup increasing by 4.9%, and D.R. Horton climbing 4.8% [4][5] Automotive Sector - General Motors experienced a 3.3% drop after announcing a $6 billion hit to its results for Q4 2025 due to its pullback from electric vehicles [6] - The company also reported $1.6 billion in charges from the previous quarter, attributing the decline in EV demand to fewer tax incentives and relaxed fuel-emission regulations [6] Consumer Sentiment - A report indicated strengthening consumer sentiment, particularly among lower-income households, with inflation expectations at their lowest in a year [12] International Markets - Stock markets abroad saw gains, with the French CAC 40 rising 1.3% and Japan's Nikkei 225 jumping 1.6% [13] - Fast Retailing, the company behind Uniqlo, saw a 10.7% increase in stock price after a 34% year-on-year surge in quarterly operating profit [13]

Key Points Iren is generting cash even as it's expanding its AI infrastructure. That is helping the company transition crypto mining operations into AI cloud infrastructure data centers. Iren has secured a $9.7 billion multi-year AI cloud contract with Microsoft. 10 stocks we like better than Iren › Artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure names were all the rage in 2025. Iren Limited (NASDAQ: IREN) was one big beneficiary. It seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Its cryptocurren ...

Meta today announced three deals to provide its data centers with nuclear power, one from a startup, one from a smaller energy company and one from a larger company that already operates several nuclear reactors in the U.S.Oklo and TerraPower, two startups developing small modular reactors (SMR), each signed agreements with Meta to build multiple reactors, while Vistra is selling capacity from its existing power plants. Nuclear power has become a favored power source for tech companies as their AI ambition ...

Imagine a city going dark, not from a hurricane or a cyberattack, but because there weren’t enough skilled workers to restore power after a routine failure. While utilities scramble to fill critical roles, hyperscale data centers are hiring the same talent at premium salaries. The grid’s biggest vulnerability isn’t hardware; it’s a talent war that utilities are losing. COMMENTARY The Skills Gap That Could Break the Grid For decades, success was often seen as earning a four-year degree and landing a desk ...

Key Points Applied Digital's stock has soared over the past year. While it may be tempting, shares seem overvalued. The company isn't profitable right now, either. 10 stocks we like better than Applied Digital › It's a good question. Should you buy Applied Digital's (NASDAQ: APLD) stock while it's under $30 per share? (As I write this, it's right at $30, but like all stocks, it's likely to go up a bit and down a bit from day to day.) There are some very solid reasons why you might want to be an ...

Meta Platforms Inc. has signed a series of electricity contracts for its data centres, making it the most significant corporate purchaser of nuclear energy in American history, the company said in a release on Friday, 9 January.The technology giant informed that it will buy electricity from three existing Vistra Corp. plants and support several small reactors that Sam Altman-backed Oklo Inc. and Bill Gates-backed TerraPower LLC plan to build over the next decade. These agreements follow a separate deal in J ...

Energy produced at a campus in Ohio will support Meta's data centers in the region, Oklo says. ...