Banks Consider $38B Support for OpenAI’s Rapid Data Center Expansion Plans

TLDRs;

• Banks may provide $38 billion loans to fund OpenAI’s new data centers, sources reveal.
• OpenAI forecasts 220 million ChatGPT subscribers by 2030, driving infrastructure expansion.
• Data center builders Oracle and Vantage could receive financing for AI infrastructure projects.
• Rising AI adoption and subscription growth are pushing OpenAI to scale operations globally.

A consortium of major banks is reportedly in talks to provide up to US$38 billion in loans to support OpenAI’s expansion of data centers worldwide. According to sources familiar with the matter, the funds would be directed to Oracle and Vantage, companies responsible for constructing the AI giant’s next-generation infrastructure.

The negotiations highlight a growing trend of financial institutions betting heavily on artificial intelligence companies, particularly those like OpenAI that have demonstrated rapid growth in both users and revenue. The reported loan talks underscore the scale of investment required to support large-scale AI operations, which involve energy-intensive data centers and advanced computing hardware.

OpenAI’s Ambitious Subscription Targets

The funding discussions come as OpenAI projects a surge in paying ChatGPT users, aiming for 220 million subscriptions by 2030, up from roughly 35 million as of July 2025. The company’s approach mirrors popular enterprise apps such as Zoom and Slack: offering a free tier to attract a broad audience while monetizing business-focused subscriptions.

This subscriber growth would increase projected revenue from ChatGPT subscriptions to an estimated US$87 billion by 2030, a sharp rise from current projections of around US$10 billion. Analysts note that such growth will necessitate substantial cost efficiencies in AI model inference and infrastructure deployment, particularly as OpenAI maintains competitive pricing in a rapidly evolving market.

Infrastructure Builders Positioned for Growth

Oracle and Vantage, both seasoned data center developers, stand to benefit significantly if the proposed loans are approved. Their involvement signals the strategic importance of building scalable and resilient AI infrastructure capable of handling billions of queries weekly.

OpenAI’s current weekly active user base exceeds 2.6 billion, with roughly 800 million users accessing the free tier. The anticipated rise in enterprise adoption also emphasizes the need for robust data management, compliance, and security tools, including identity verification, single sign-on integrations, and data loss prevention measures.

Implications for the AI Ecosystem

If finalized, this multi-billion-dollar financing could accelerate global AI adoption and trigger an infrastructure boom as OpenAI expands its footprint. Investors and industry observers are closely monitoring these developments, recognizing the potential ripple effects across AI hardware, cloud computing, and enterprise software markets.

However, challenges remain. Subscription growth at the projected scale requires balancing operational costs with user affordability. Inference costs for models like GPT-4.1 can be significant, potentially straining margins unless OpenAI achieves substantial efficiency gains or leverages lower-cost compute alternatives. Competitors offering lower-cost AI services further intensify the pressure to optimize infrastructure spending.

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