Inside OpenAI's Strategy for US Hardware Manufacturing
OpenAI, the organisation behind ChatGPT, is turning its attention towards physical manufacturing.
The company has launched a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at overhauling its hardware supply chain operations.
This extends beyond standard procurement activities, forming part of a ten-year strategic plan to bring advanced manufacturing closer to home and secure leadership in what the firm calls the "Intelligence Age".
Unveiled on 15 January 2026, the initiative seeks to build a comprehensive US-based network for components that could define the next decade: consumer electronics, robotics and the vast data centre infrastructure required to power increasingly complex AI systems.
The RFP outlines an ambitious trajectory that moves beyond software development into the challenging territory of semiconductors, motors and thermal management systems.
OpenAI is seeking partners who can help deliver what it describes as a "Silicon Renaissance", a return to domestic production that ensures supply chain resilience and national technological leadership.
The RFP document says: "OpenAI has a long-term ambition to establish US-based hardware manufacturing and assembly that reflects US values, supports resilient supply chains, and fosters national innovation leadership".
For AI to reach its full capabilities, the physical infrastructure supporting it needs to match the sophistication of the algorithms it runs.
Three key sectors for growth
OpenAI's expansion is structured around three core areas, each requiring an intricate network of suppliers and production facilities.
Consumer devices represent the first pillar. The company is moving into final assembly, PCB assembly and developing sophisticated displays and optics.
This development could point towards a future where OpenAI-branded hardware appears regularly in consumer markets.
Robotics forms the second focus area. To bring AI capabilities into physical environments, OpenAI is looking for "critical inputs" including actuators, precision bearings, gearboxes and power electronics components.
Data centres constitute perhaps the most capital-heavy segment, focusing on what the company terms "unseen" infrastructure.
This includes power systems such as generators, transformers and UPS units, alongside advanced cooling solutions including chillers and cold plates.
The RFP document notes: "Over the next 10 years, OpenAI seeks to localise significant portions of the manufacturing for its hardware devices and data centres, including key components, modules and final assembly".
Physical foundations for digital ambitions
This initiative builds on momentum from the Stargate Project, which launched in March 2025.
OpenAI has made significant headway towards its 10 gigawatt power target, with capacity planning now surpassing the midpoint.
The company says that "infrastructure has long been destiny when it comes to America's economic success, and that will be especially true in the Intelligence Age".
By investing in domestic manufacturing capabilities, the organisation aims to "catalyse US manufacturing, modernise our energy grid, create well-paid jobs and strengthen American leadership".
The RFP document highlights that discussions about AI typically focus heavily on chips, but the practical requirements extend much further.
The company says that "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".
