Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is reportedly in discussions to raise $US7 trillion ($10.7 trillion AUD) to transform the global computer chip industry.

His effort seeks to address vulnerabilities within the global chip supply chain, highlighting the strategic importance of GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) in the escalating technological rivalry between China and the United States.

The initiative, if successful, would mark the largest fundraising effort for a single project to date, dwarfing the economic output of entire nations and historical financial expenditures such as the Afghanistan war by the United States. 

Altman's strategy focuses on enhancing the production of GPUs, which are at the heart of advancements towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), a level of AI capability that surpasses human intelligence across all tasks.

GPUs, initially developed for gaming and particularly for 3D graphics, have become pivotal in AI development. 

Currently, most of the world's supply of these crucial chips is provided by Nvidia, a US company, with significant manufacturing components produced in Taiwan. 

This situation underscores the geopolitical tensions surrounding the technology, as both the US and China vie for dominance in the tech sector, with GPUs playing a key role in this competition.

The geopolitical implications are further complicated by the reliance of the US on chip manufacturing in Taiwan, and the ongoing export bans targeting Nvidia's new GPUs designed for the Chinese market - part of actions by the White House to curb China's technological advancements.

Altman's plan involves rallying a coalition of investors and chip manufacturers, including significant entities such as Softbank, TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), and the government of the United Arab Emirates, to fund the construction of new factories for semiconductor production. 

TSMC, known as Taiwan's ‘Silicon Shield’, plays a crucial role in the global semiconductor industry and the geopolitical landscape due to its pivotal position in Taiwan's economy and the global supply chain.

The proposed venture, which has been discussed with various investors, aims not only to serve OpenAI's needs but also to dramatically increase the capacity for the entire tech industry, particularly those aligned with US interests. 

This move could potentially secure the position of the US in the global tech dominance race, especially in the realm of AI, by achieving supply chain independence in computer chips.

Despite the ambitious nature of this venture and the lack of detailed public information, the initiative has sparked significant discussion and speculation within the tech community. 

Altman's recent social media activity has fueled further interest, with cryptic posts that hint at the grand scale of the planned infrastructure expansion.