A group of major global investors and technology firms—including BlackRock, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI—have agreed to acquire Aligned Data Centers in a transaction valued at about $40 billion.
The U.S.-based company, which operates some of the world’s largest data campuses, will be purchased from Macquarie Asset Management.
The takeover is the first move by the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), a $100 billion initiative formed in 2024 to develop the backbone of large-scale computing infrastructure required for artificial intelligence systems. The alliance brings together financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and leading technology companies to mobilize both equity and debt financing for rapid data center construction worldwide.
AIP has outlined plans to commit $30 billion in equity and raise an additional $70 billion through debt instruments to fund the acquisition and expansion of data center operations. Its members include Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), now part of BlackRock, along with Abu Dhabi’s MGX, Singapore’s Temasek, and the Kuwait Investment Authority.
Aligned Data Centers currently operates 50 campuses across the United States and Latin America, with over 5 gigawatts of combined active and planned capacity. The consortium intends to accelerate Aligned’s growth in the coming years, expanding its presence in key digital gateway regions that serve cloud computing and AI customers.
GIP co-founder Adebayo Ogunlesi said the collaboration allows the partners to tackle long-term challenges such as energy sourcing, water management, and efficient design in large-scale facilities.
The investment partnership also includes major suppliers from the energy and technology sectors, such as GE Vernova, NextEra Energy, and Cisco, which will provide materials, power generation, and network infrastructure. This integrated model is intended to streamline the delivery of high-performance, sustainable data centers capable of supporting large-scale AI workloads.
BlackRock Chief Executive Larry Fink said the initiative enables major technology firms—such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta Platforms—to lease advanced facilities rather than owning them directly, helping reduce capital intensity and maintain stronger balance sheets.
According to MGX Chief Executive Ahmed Yahia Al Idrissi, global data center demand is rising by about 20 gigawatts annually, with half of that growth expected to occur in the United States. He said the partnership’s investments will help bridge the gap between existing capacity and the growing needs of AI and cloud service providers.