Microsoft and BlackRock are collaborating with other companies to raise up to $100 billion to build AI data centers and the energy infrastructure required to power them. This effort is part of the Global Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP), announced this week. Other participants include Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which BlackRock is acquiring, and UAE-based tech investor MGX.
“We are committed to ensuring AI helps advance innovation and drives growth across every sector of the economy,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement.
The group plans to raise an initial $30 billion, with the potential to reach $100 billion through debt financing. The funds will address the growing demand for data centers powered by Nvidia GPUs, essential for running AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which require significant energy.
Microsoft’s contribution adds to its ongoing investment in expanding its Azure public cloud infrastructure. In the fiscal fourth quarter, Microsoft’s capital spending reached $19 billion. BlackRock is finalizing its $3 billion acquisition of GIP, expected to close by Oct. 1. MGX, launched in March, is backed by Mubadala and AI firm G42.
