Meta boosts Texas AI data centre investment to $10 billion

Meta announced a substantial increase in its investment for its El Paso, Texas AI data center, boosting its commitment from an initial $1.5 billion to $10 billion. The social media giant aims to achieve a 1-gigawatt capacity for the facility by its projected opening in 2028. This significant expansion is expected to generate 300 new jobs once the data center becomes operational, with an estimated 3,000 construction workers on-site during peak building phases. Meta also highlighted its efforts in environmental sustainability, stating it has projects under contract that will add over 5,000 megawatts of clean energy to the Texas grid and is collaborating with specialized nonprofits to alleviate the water burden in the area. The announcement comes as Meta navigates other corporate challenges, including recent layoffs across multiple teams and legal verdicts holding it liable for harm to young users, which have prompted concerns about potential overhauls to its advertising business practices.