Meta invests $1B+ in Tulsa AI center, with 1,500 MW clean energy
Meta has made its boldest AI infrastructure move yet, breaking ground on a $1 billion data center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This marks the company's 28th U.S. facility and 32nd globally, specifically designed to support its AI ambitions.
The move signals Meta's escalating race to build the compute backbone needed for next-generation AI models, while competitors like Microsoft and Google scramble to secure their own infrastructure, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Meta is planting its flag in America's heartland with a billion-dollar bet on AI infrastructure. The company announced it's breaking ground on an AI-optimized data center in Tulsa, Oklahoma—a strategic expansion that underscores how the AI arms race is reshaping the geography of American tech.
The facility represents Meta's 28th data center in the United States and its 32nd globally, but this one's different. According to the company's announcement, the Tulsa site is being purpose-built to handle AI workloads, designed to power everything from Meta's AI glasses technology to its recently unveiled Muse Spark superintelligence labs. That's a big deal when you consider that training large language models can require thousands of high-performance GPUs running 24/7.
The $1 billion investment isn't just about silicon and servers. Meta's committing $25 million to local infrastructure upgrades—roads, water systems, the works. At peak construction, over 1,000 workers will be onsite, with 100 permanent operational jobs once the facility goes live. For Tulsa, this is economic development on steroids.
But Meta's learned from past data center controversies. The company's going all-in on water stewardship with a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system that recirculates the same water and will operate with zero water consumption for most of the year. That's critical in a region where water rights can spark heated debates. Meta's also partnering with the Tulsa Community Foundation to establish a fund helping residents struggling with water bills—a pre-emptive strike against the "Big Tech drains our resources" narrative.
By Ulviyya Salmanli
Similar news
