OpenAI said Wednesday it is partnering with Google Cloud to provide additional computing power for its popular AI services, including ChatGPT and its developer-facing API, marking a significant shift in the company’s cloud infrastructure strategy as it scrambles to meet soaring demand for generative AI tools.

The move broadens OpenAI’s roster of cloud providers beyond Microsoft, its most prominent backer and infrastructure partner since 2019. Google now joins Microsoft, CoreWeave, and Oracle as suppliers of computing capacity for OpenAI’s growing suite of AI products. According to the company, ChatGPT and its API will now run on Google Cloud infrastructure in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway.

This diversification follows rising strain on OpenAI’s capacity. In April, CEO Sam Altman made a blunt public appeal, posting on X: “if anyone has GPU capacity in 100k chunks we can get asap please call!”—a clear sign that the company was hitting the limits of its compute power amid explosive user demand and rapid product expansion. The company relies heavily on Nvidia’s advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) to power its large language models.

The Google partnership marks a key win for Google Cloud, which has been playing catch-up with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure in the cloud services market. It also reinforces Google’s deepening play in AI infrastructure, where it already hosts Anthropic—a leading OpenAI rival founded by former OpenAI employees—and continues to advance its own models like Gemini.

OpenAI’s new arrangement also reflects shifting dynamics in its relationship with Microsoft. Despite Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar investment in OpenAI and early exclusivity over its cloud workloads, that arrangement has evolved. In January, Microsoft confirmed it had moved to a “right of first refusal” model, meaning OpenAI can now seek other vendors when more capacity is needed. Microsoft still holds exclusive rights to OpenAI’s APIs and integrates them into its own products like Copilot in Microsoft 365, Azure OpenAI Service, and GitHub.

In recent months, OpenAI has aggressively expanded its compute partnerships. In March, it signed a $12 billion deal with CoreWeave, a specialized AI cloud provider backed by Nvidia. That agreement, set to run for five years, aimed to bolster OpenAI’s infrastructure with GPU-dense data centers tailored for training and serving large AI models. Oracle, another infrastructure partner, announced last year it was working with Microsoft and OpenAI to allow OpenAI workloads to run on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) via Microsoft’s Azure platform.

Google Cloud, which once lagged in major AI hosting deals, has now become a direct beneficiary of the generative AI gold rush. Its data centers are designed to handle massive AI workloads and include Google’s own Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which rival Nvidia’s GPUs in AI performance. While OpenAI is not expected to rely on Google’s TPUs in this arrangement, the move still places Google alongside Microsoft as one of the key players supporting ChatGPT’s growth.

Industry analysts say OpenAI’s multi-cloud strategy is part of a broader trend among AI firms trying to reduce risk, avoid vendor lock-in, and ensure continuity amid GPU shortages. It also underscores the arms race among hyperscalers—Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Oracle—each vying to dominate the infrastructure layer of the AI economy.

The deal enhances Google’s reputation as a credible host for mission-critical AI services, not just for its in-house teams but also for the broader ecosystem of AI companies competing for scale and global reach.

I am excited to announce that Abia States has entered phase 2 of Governor Otti’s Abia development playbook. The phase 1 has stabilized the administrative systems, provided basic amenities in major cities, deepened the school system (from #19 to top 3 in NECO, WAEC, etc), improved the legal infrastructures, restored lost accreditations in medical school, brought back the spirit of Abia in workers with pension paid on time, etc, etc.

Phase 2 will focus on integrated infrastructure development and that “infrastructure” goes beyond physical things, to include processes, systems, and enablers of markets. Our model is that a working Aba and Umuahia will generate funds that will drive the development of other parts of Abia at a faster rate. That thesis has been validated as Abia State remains the #1 state in Nigeria in paying down debts in Nigeria. Aba is roaring back as businesses relocate and open offices in the Enyimba city.

The second phase 2 begins this month. Abia will build industrial platforms and pillars that will enable the actualization of “prosperity through enterprise” for all, as encapsulated in the state coat of arms. That prosperity is not just bank accounts, but aspirations on health, wellbeing, and more.

I want to thank African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Federal Government of Nigeria for the support on this mission, projected to “become a cornerstone of the state’s economic revival, unlocking long-stalled potential in manufacturing, trade, and services, especially in Aba, a city with deep roots in industrial production and informal enterprises.” We recently launched the Export Lab in partnership with the United Nations.

Good People, the future is full of abundance, and shared prosperity should be our working philosophy. We’re the God’s Own People, and children of the Lord will always live in abundance. We’re volunteers with the tough love for our state as we have a man who has demonstrated uncommon vision, unalloyed commitment and leadership to make our state a shining city on a hill, with opportunities and hope, where boys and girls, men and women, and all, will experience abundance. Let’s make Abia GREAT and Nigeria AMAZING!

Ndubuisi Ekekwe

Member, Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council

Bitcoin has a strong historical track record. From 2011 to 2021, it delivered cumulative gains exceeding 20,000,000%, with an annualized return of 230%, far outpacing traditional assets like the NASDAQ 100 (541% cumulative, 20% annualized), US Large Caps (282% cumulative, 14% annualized), and gold (1.5% annualized).

In 2024, Bitcoin led with a 121% annual return, compared to gold (26.7%), NASDAQ 100 (25.6%), and S&P 500 (24.9%). Over the past decade (2014-2024), Bitcoin’s 26,931.1% return dwarfed the S&P 500 (193.3%) and gold (125.8%). Despite its volatility—posting losses in years like 2014 (-58%) and 2018 (-73%)—Bitcoin has been the top performer in seven of the last ten years, though it was the worst in the other three.

Its 2024 performance was driven by factors like Bitcoin spot ETFs, the April 2024 halving, and positive market sentiment amid economic uncertainty. Posts on X and some projections suggest continued optimism for 2025, with price targets ranging from $75,000 to $250,000, fueled by institutional adoption and potential nation-state reserve strategies.

Bitcoin’s strong performance would likely accelerate institutional investment. The success of spot Bitcoin ETFs, with $14.4 billion in net inflows through July 2025, demonstrates growing mainstream acceptance. Firms like BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and even pension funds are increasing allocations, with 86% of institutional investors surveyed planning to boost digital asset exposure in 2025.

Companies adopting Bitcoin as a treasury asset, such as MicroStrategy, Tesla, and potentially Trump Media, could see stock price premiums, creating a feedback loop dubbed an “infinite money glitch.” This could encourage more firms to hold Bitcoin, further driving demand and price appreciation. Portfolios may increasingly include Bitcoin as a standard asset class, with advisors like BlackRock suggesting 1-2% allocations to manage risk while capturing upside.

This could reshape traditional investment strategies, positioning Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and market volatility. Bitcoin’s outperformance could signal a maturing market, with reduced volatility compared to past cycles, as seen in 2024 when volatility was lower than previous years despite a 113% return. However, its history of sharp corrections (e.g., -73% in 2022) suggests potential for significant pullbacks, especially if macroeconomic conditions worsen or regulatory hurdles arise.

Investors may face a “goldilocks scenario” where Bitcoin acts as both a high-growth tech-like asset and a safe-haven “digital gold,” but they must remain cautious of sudden market corrections driven by external shocks like geopolitical tensions or central bank policies. Bitcoin’s dominance, with a high Bitcoin Dominance Index, may limit gains for altcoins unless they offer distinct use cases. Analysts note that Bitcoin treasury companies and ETF inflows could overshadow altcoins, though regulatory shifts toward decentralized finance (DeFi) might unlock new opportunities for non-Bitcoin assets.

Investors chasing Bitcoin’s success might overlook altcoins, but selective altcoins with strong fundamentals (e.g., Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem) could still see growth if regulatory clarity emerges. A strong 2025 performance could bolster the narrative of Bitcoin as a global reserve asset, especially if nations adopt strategic Bitcoin reserves, as proposed by President Trump and Senator Cynthia Lummis.

A 6.6% reduction in circulating supply (1 million BTC) could drive a 30%+ price increase, per some estimates. Game theory may push more countries to accumulate Bitcoin to strengthen financial systems, potentially weakening reliance on fiat currencies like the US dollar, especially in regions with currency devaluation (e.g., Argentina, Turkey). This could reshape global monetary dynamics.

Bitcoin’s outperformance amid rising US debt, a weakening USD (-11% in six months), and geopolitical uncertainty suggests it’s increasingly viewed as a hedge against economic instability. With central banks cutting rates in 2025, risk-on sentiment could further fuel Bitcoin’s rally. Bitcoin could attract capital as a non-fiat, inflation-resistant asset, but tighter monetary policies or high Treasury yields (4.75% in June 2025) might divert investors to safer assets, tempering its growth.

Bitcoin’s success could drive broader adoption for payments and remittances, especially in regions like Latin America and Africa, where P2P volume is rising due to currency devaluation. Daily active addresses (950,000–1 million in May 2025) reflect robust network usage, reinforcing its utility. Increased public and corporate acceptance (e.g., Tesla, Microsoft) could normalize Bitcoin as a payment method, though its environmental impact from Proof-of-Work mining remains a concern for broader adoption.

A crypto-friendly Trump administration and the departure of SEC Chairman Gary Gensler in January 2025 eased egulatory barriers, boosting investor confidence. However, global regulatory inconsistency (e.g., restrictions in India, Nigeria) and potential delays in pro-crypto policies could trigger market disappointment. Clearer US regulations could accelerate Bitcoin’s integration into mainstream finance, but restrictive policies elsewhere might limit global adoption, creating uneven growth opportunities.

Despite optimism, analysts warn of potential crashes, with some forecasting a drop to $90,000 or even $89,000 in a bearish scenario due to regulatory pressure or liquidity shortages. Investors must be prepared to lose their entire investment. Bitcoin’s value relies on sentiment and the “greater fool theory,” with no intrinsic backing. Its high valuations could lead to a bubble if demand falters.

Bitcoin’s energy-intensive mining could face scrutiny, potentially limiting its appeal to ESG-focused investors. If Bitcoin is the best-performing asset in 2025, it could solidify its role as a mainstream investment and potential reserve asset, driven by institutional inflows, ETF adoption, and macroeconomic uncertainty. However, its volatility, regulatory risks, and environmental concerns pose challenges.

Investors should diversify, allocate cautiously (1-2% of portfolios), and use secure storage like cold wallets to manage risks. Always conduct thorough research, as past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, and be wary of overly bullish predictions lacking robust methodology.