OpenAI is scouring the U.S. for sites to build a network of huge data centers to power its artificial intelligence technology, expanding beyond a flagship Texas location and looking across 16 states to accelerate the Stargate project championed by President Donald Trump.

OpenAI executives updated reporters on Thursday about the level of interest the company is seeing from states interested in building large data centers.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Thursday that it is evaluating U.S. states as potential artificial intelligence data center locations for its massive Stargate venture, framing the project as a matter of urgency for the United States to beat China in the global AI race.