In 2025, Larry Ellison, Oracle’s billionaire co-founder, and his son David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media, have orchestrated a series of high-stakes business maneuvers that have solidified their influence across technology and media. From massive AI infrastructure projects to blockbuster acquisitions, the Ellisons have dominated headlines, leveraging Oracle’s technological prowess and Skydance’s entertainment ambitions to reshape industries. Below, we chronicle their major moves this year, including the Stargate AI data center project, the acquisition of a stake in TikTok’s U.S. operations, and the transformative Paramount-Skydance merger.
Larry Ellison’s Tech Juggernaut: AI and TikTok Take Center Stage
Stargate AI Data Center Project
In July 2025, Oracle, under Larry Ellison’s leadership, embarked on an ambitious $500 billion partnership with OpenAI and SoftBank to develop the Stargate initiative, a 10-gigawatt AI infrastructure network across the United States. Oracle committed to a 4.5 GW buildout, with the first site breaking ground in Abilene, Texas. By September 23, 2025, the project expanded to include five additional data center sites, accelerating the timeline to meet the full commitment by year-end. This massive undertaking positions Oracle as a linchpin in the global AI race, capitalizing on the surging demand for cloud and computing power.
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