OpenAI

Strengthening the US AI supply chain through domestic manufacturing

Brief

OpenAI launched a Request for Proposals on January 15, 2026 to accelerate U.S. manufacturing for AI infrastructure, building on its Stargate initiative (nearly one year old) that has pledged capacity already well over halfway toward a 10‑gigawatt commitment. The RFP targets domestic production of data‑center inputs, compute/power/cooling hardware, consumer‑electronics modules, and robotics components; proposals are due June 2026.

Why it matters

OpenAI published an RFP on 2026-01-15 with a submission deadline of June 2026 to fund U.S.-based manufacturing for AI supply chains across data-center inputs, consumer electronics, and robotics.

Key details

  • The RFP builds on OpenAI’s Stargate initiative (launched ~one year ago), which has announced planned capacity already well over halfway to its 10‑gigawatt commitment.
  • Targeted components include modules, tooling and final assembly, compute/power/cooling/data-center hardware, and robotics inputs such as gearboxes, motors, and power electronics; proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis to inform procurement and infrastructure planning.
Source evidence

title: Strengthening the US AI supply chain through domestic manufacturing
publication: OpenAI
published: 2026-01-15T00:00:00
source_url: https://openai.com/index/strengthening-the-us-ai-supply-chain

word_count: 486

Strengthening the US AI supply chain through domestic manufacturing

New Request for Proposals to help build and scale the infrastructure behind advanced AI.

Building the infrastructure required to power advanced AI presents a historic opportunity to strengthen domestic supply chains and reindustrialize the country(opens in a new window). If we seize it, we can catalyze U.S. manufacturing, modernize our energy grid, create well-paid jobs, and strengthen American leadership. Infrastructure has long been destiny when it comes to America’s economic success, and that will be especially true in the Intelligence Age.

At OpenAI, we’re committed to doing our part. Since launching our Stargate initiative almost one year ago, we’ve announced planned capacity that puts us well over halfway to meeting our 10-gigawatt commitment. These investments are already translating into good jobs and local economic growth in communities across the country. Over the coming years, we’ll build on this progress by strengthening the broader domestic AI supply chain and accelerating investment in U.S. manufacturing capabilities that support American AI leadership.

As part of that work, today we’re launching a new Request for Proposals(opens in a new window) (RFP) focused on U.S.-based manufacturing across key parts of the AI supply chain, including data center inputs, consumer electronics, and robotics. Our goal is to identify and enable domestic manufacturing capacity that can help shorten timelines, strengthen resilience, and extend technology leadership as AI infrastructure scales.

We’re seeking proposals from manufacturers, suppliers, and partners who are building – or are prepared to build – critical components and systems for the AI ecosystem in the United States, including:

  • Modules, tooling and equipment, and final assembly for consumer electronics
  • Manufacturing for compute, power, cooling, and supporting data center hardware
  • Critical inputs for advanced robotics (e.g., gearboxes, motors, power electronics)

When people talk about AI infrastructure, the conversation often stops at chips and data centers. But advanced AI depends on a much broader ecosystem of physical components: the racks, cabling, networking gear, cooling systems, power systems, power electronics, electromechanical modules, and testing and assembly capacity are all required to bring it all online at scale. Our RFP aims to build on momentum that already exists by identifying where targeted partnerships, demand signals, and coordination can help unlock faster growth, larger scale, and more durable U.S. leadership in AI.

Responses to the RFP will help inform partnerships, procurement strategies, and infrastructure planning. We see this as part of a broader story of reindustrialization. Across the country, manufacturers are investing in advanced production capabilities to support the AI ecosystem – bringing new facilities online, modernizing supply chains, and expanding skilled workforces. These investments are critical to ensuring that the benefits of AI are created and shared here in the U.S..

We will review proposals on a rolling basis and follow up with selected respondents on next steps. The deadline to submit a proposal is June 2026.

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