(Reuters) - OpenAI's Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap will oversee global expansion and corporate partnerships, CEO Sam Altman said on Monday, as the Microsoft ( MSFT )-backed startup seeks to cement its dominance in the fast-growing AI industry.

The ChatGPT-maker is partnering with SoftBank Group and Oracle to establish a network of data centers under the $500-billion Stargate project, aimed at powering artificial intelligence workloads.

"Brad will lead our global deployment, focusing on business strategy, key partnerships, infrastructure, and operational excellence to maximize the impact of our research," Altman said.

OpenAI has also expanded the role of Chief Research Officer Mark Chen, who will integrate research and product development, the startup's co-founder said in a blog post.