Meta Platforms is reportedly planning to invest nearly $1 billion in a new data center project in central Wisconsin, a move aimed at ramping up its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.
The state of Wisconsin had previously reached an agreement in February with an undisclosed company—operating under an alias—to build a data center with an estimated multiyear investment of $837 million. Bloomberg has now identified the company as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
While both Meta and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation declined to comment, the report suggests the project aligns with Meta’s broader AI strategy, which includes a significant boost in capital expenditure for 2024.
AI-Driven Infrastructure Expansion
Meta has committed to spending up to $65 billion this year to expand its AI infrastructure. This aggressive investment is part of the tech giant’s broader effort to meet the computing demands of generative AI applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
As major tech firms ramp up capabilities in cloud computing and AI, investments in data centers have surged globally. The new Wisconsin facility, if confirmed, would be part of Meta’s ongoing strategy to support large-scale AI model training and advanced computational workloads.
Also read: Microsoft Pauses Data Centre Growth Amid AI Rethink
Policy Risks Loom for Big Tech
However, the timing of this investment coincides with rising trade tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump’s recently announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs could potentially disrupt Big Tech’s efforts to scale domestic infrastructure. Analysts warn that such policy shifts may contradict the administration’s goals of strengthening U.S.-based AI capabilities.
For now, Meta’s reported Wisconsin data center adds to the growing list of infrastructure projects being pursued by major tech companies eager to stay competitive in the AI race.
