Softbank announces US plant for AI data centersAFP, TOKYOJapan’s Softbank Group Corp said on Saturday that it plans to build a huge new gas-fired power plant in Ohio to provide energy for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Softbank Group Corp Chairman Masayoshi Son speaks during an announcement for a new data center on Friday in Piketon, Ohio. Photo: APConstruction of the US$33.3 billion power plant with a “large-scale” power generation capacity of 9.2 gigawatts (GW) would take place at the US Department of Energy’s Portsmouth site, Softbank said. Softbank on Saturday announced a consortium with major American and Japanese firms to help build the plant and develop AI infrastructure in Ohio. A study last month found that industrial investment surged by nearly a third last year thanks to investment in AI and data centers in the US.

Source: Taipei Times March 22, 2026 16:38 UTC