Australian company Firmus, backed by Nvidia, has announced signing a multi-year agreement with OpenAI to supply it with computing capacity from two data centers in Malaysia, a move that makes the developer of ChatGPT one of Firmus's key clients, amid rising global demand for the infrastructure needed to run advanced AI models.
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The deal comes as Firmus, according to reports, is preparing for a potential initial public offering later this year, which could rank among the largest listings in Australia in recent years.
The AI infrastructure company's valuation exceeded $10.5 billion in its most recent funding round, backed by investors including Nvidia, Jane Street, and funds affiliated with Blackstone and Kohtú Management.
Under the new agreement with OpenAI, Firmus's total contracted capacity commitment to its clients has risen to more than 900 megawatts.
The company's portfolio currently includes two operational AI data centers in Australia and Singapore, alongside five more under development across the Asia-Pacific region.
The deal reflects the widening competition between American and Chinese AI companies to secure the power and capacity needed for data centers, amid growing requirements to run increasingly advanced models. OpenAI unveiled its "Astra" model last week, which it described as its most capable yet.
Malaysia has become the fastest-growing data center market in Southeast Asia, though the rapid expansion of these facilities has raised growing questions about the scale of electricity and water consumption involved.
Firmus plans to deploy Nvidia's next-generation "Vera Rubin" processors widely across the Asia-Pacific region, with its entry into Malaysia expanding the company's regional footprint.
Firmus did not disclose the financial value of the contract, while OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
