OpenAI Appoints Former UK Chancellor George Osborne to Spearhead Global Stargate Expansion

OpenAI Taps Political Veteran for Global Infrastructure Push December 16, 2025 In a strategic move to navigate the complex geopolitical and regulatory landscape of global expansion, OpenAI has appointed George Osborne, the former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, to lead its ambitious "Stargate" data center initiative outside the United States. The hire underscores the critical importance of physical compute infrastructure and government relations in the escalating race for AI supremacy, where securing power, land, and regulatory approval is as crucial as algorithmic innovation. Osborne will serve as Managing Director and Head of "OpenAI for Countries," a division launched in May 2025 to oversee the international build-out of massive, next-generation AI data centers. Based in London, his mandate extends beyond construction to facilitating the adoption of OpenAI's tools by governments worldwide. Announcing his new role on social media, Osborne stated, "It’s a privilege to be going to work for OpenAI... In my conversations with Sam Altman, Brad Lightcap, and other senior colleagues, it’s clear they are exceptionally impressive leaders and that they care very deeply about their mission to ensure the power of artificial intelligence is developed responsibly, and the benefits are felt by all." The Stargate program represents a multi-billion dollar, global infrastructure undertaking. Key projects already announced include a facility in the United Arab Emirates, developed with partners like Oracle and Nvidia, with a capacity supporting up to 5 gigawatts of power. In Europe, a partnership with Nscale and Aker in Norway aims to deploy a cluster with approximately 100,000 GPUs, while a smaller UK-based project is planned for up to 8,000 GPUs. OpenAI has also signed memoranda of understanding for facilities in South Korea with SK Telecom and in Sydney, Australia, with operator NextDC, and is actively scouting locations in Asia, including India and Japan. Osborne's background in high-level government finance and international diplomacy is seen as a key asset for OpenAI. As Chancellor from 2010 to 2016, he presided over the UK's austerity budget, giving him extensive experience in large-scale fiscal management and negotiations—skills directly transferable to orchestrating a capital-intensive global build-out. Since leaving politics, he has held senior roles at financial giants like BlackRock and the boutique investment bank Robey Warshaw, alongside positions in media and academia. His appointment signals OpenAI's intent to seriously engage with national policymakers and secure the partnerships necessary for its globe-spanning AI infrastructure vision. The implications of this hire are significant for the data center and AI industries. It highlights a maturation phase where leading AI firms must build formidable physical and political foundations to sustain growth. By placing a figure with Osborne's profile in charge, OpenAI is not just investing in concrete and silicon, but in the diplomatic and regulatory frameworks required to operate them worldwide, setting a new benchmark for how tech giants scale in an era of increased geopolitical scrutiny over critical technology. Source: datacenterdynamics