Meta to invest billions in building massive AI data centres across the US

Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into building large-scale AI data centres across the United States. These centres are designed to support the development of ‘superintelligence’ technology, which Meta hopes will surpass human intelligence. The first data centre, Prometheus, will be located in New Albany, Ohio, and is expected to be operational by 2026. Another project, Hyperion, will be built in Louisiana and is projected to be completed by 2030. Zuckerberg revealed that the centres will be built in clusters, with one called Hyperion able to scale up to five gigawatts over several years. Meta’s investment signals its commitment to leading the AI space, with the company already generating significant revenue from online advertising, totaling over $160 billion in 2024. However, these AI-driven data centres raise concerns about their environmental impact, as they are expected to consume large amounts of energy and water. Experts predict that AI data centres could use 1.7 trillion gallons of water globally by 2027. Despite these concerns, Meta’s shares saw a 1% rise following the announcement.