Meta has announced the expansion of its data center being built in Louisiana, USA, to increase its targeted computing capacity to 5 gigawatts, with an increase in investment in the project to more than $50 billion, as part of its plans to strengthen infrastructure for artificial intelligence applications.

Huge capabilities for training AI models

The company said that the data center, known as Hyperion, located in the Richland Parish area of Louisiana, was originally planned to provide more than 2 gigawatts of computing capacity to support the training of large language models, a technology relied upon by generative artificial intelligence applications such as ChatGPT. However, the new expansions will raise the targeted capacity to 5 gigawatts.

The announcement comes at a time when there is increasing criticism of the rapid expansion of data centers due to their high energy consumption and impact on the environment and public utility infrastructure.

Earlier, the American environmental organization Earth Justice called for an investigation into the project's funding mechanism, warning that part of its cost could be passed on to electricity company customers if Meta withdraws from the project before recouping investments. However, this request was rejected earlier this year.

2 billion dollars to support the local economy and infrastructure

Meta confirmed that since construction began in December 2024, the project has provided contracts worth more than $1.6 billion for local companies in Louisiana, noting that it plans to invest an additional billion dollars in developing local infrastructure, including roads, water networks, and sewage systems.

The company added that the tax revenues generated from the project have contributed to raising the annual bonuses for teachers in the Richland Parish region to $50,000, a 400% increase compared to the previous year.

Like major technology companies, Meta continues to invest heavily in data centers and computing capabilities to keep up with the growing demand for artificial intelligence services, which still exceeds available capacity.

The company previously pledged to invest $600 billion in infrastructure and jobs within the United States over the next three years. It currently has 32 data centers worldwide, either operational or under construction, including 28 in the United States.