Powering Our AI Future: Stargate’s Vision and Its Hidden Costs

On January 21, the Trump administration announced the planning of an artificial intelligence (AI) joint venture among OpenAI, Softbank, Oracle, and MGX called Stargate. Five hundred billion dollars will be invested in the creation of a new AI infrastructure for the country over the next four years. The intention is to ensure that the United States has the leading AI models in the world and to prevent falling behind other nations, such as China, that have already established strong Large Language Models with the potential to surpass those currently in place here. This is highly comparable to the arms and space races, as nations strive to be the first to craft a model with the potential to replace human intelligence. 

This endeavor has sparked lots of enthusiasm throughout a society excited for innovation; however, it has also raised important questions that require much consideration/contemplation: What are its implications for the planet given AI training centers’ large tolls on the environment? What effect will Stargate have on the economy and job market? How do educators proceed, knowing the workforce they are preparing their students for is rapidly evolving? 

The Stargate enterprise will be undertaken through the creation of several large-scale data centers, the first of which is already under construction in Abilene, Texas. These will without a doubt aid companies in producing efficient and accurate AI models. However, an ethical dilemma arises when considering these data centers: Will they cause an environmental impact such that the harms outweigh the benefits? 

It is known that the centers will pose irreversible damage to the environment, due to the immense amount of resources that are required for powering and cooling down the facilities. For example, it is predicted that by 2028, the energy required for the data centers will compose up to 12 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption. President Trump has said he will “make it possible for them to get this production done easily,” and that all the resources needed for the venture will be acquired, though this will come at a great cost environmentally. 

On the other hand, the Trump administration and Stargate partners are enthusiastic about the venture, as they believe it will create more than 100,000 jobs for Americans and greatly benefit the country economically. As there are increasing amounts of jobs that will require a strong understanding of the groundwork of AI, critical questions arise among educators as they consider their duty of preparing students for their futures in a workforce that is increasingly including AI: How much responsibility do educators have in providing AI education to students? What aspects of AI should educators teach, and at what point in schooling should they begin introducing these topics? Currently, many schools, along with parents, are hesitant about AI usage in education as they feel it may interfere with students’ learning and development. In reality, though, it is increasingly crucial that students have access to proper AI education to be able to navigate the workforce and world with the prevalent AI influence they will encounter in their futures. 

As Stargate begins to produce strong AI models, it is imperative, especially for students and educators, to stay informed in order to understand the substantial implications this enterprise will have on the economy, the workforce, and the environment.

Anna Bulto '26 and Lindsay Li '26