Microsoft, BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and MGX recently announced entering into a Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) to make investments in new data centers to meet the growing demand for computing power and energy infrastructure.
The partnership will initially seek to unlock $30 billion of private equity capital over time from investors, asset owners and corporates. This will, in turn, mobilize up to $100 billion in total investment potential when including debt financing.
These infrastructure investments will mainly go to the U.S. to fuel AI innovation and economic growth, and the remainder will go to U.S. partner countries.
Enabling technological breakthroughs
“Artificial intelligence is not just an industry of the future, it underpins the future. Through this unique partnership, we will enable faster innovation, technological breakthroughs, and transformational productivity gains across the global economy,” stated Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of MGX.
The Microsoft and BlackRock partnership will support an open architecture and broad ecosystem. This provides full access on a non-exclusive basis for a diverse range of partners and companies. In addition, NVIDIA will support GAIIP, offering its expertise in AI data centers and AI factories to benefit the AI ecosystem.
“Mobilizing private capital to build AI infrastructure like data centers and power will unlock a multi-trillion-dollar long-term investment opportunity,” said Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock.
Enhancing AI supply chains
The Microsoft and BlackRock partnership will also actively engage with industry leaders to help enhance AI supply chains and energy sourcing for the benefit of its customers and the industry.
“This financial partnership will not only help advance technology, but enhance national competitiveness, security, and economic prosperity,” added Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft.
The founders of the partnership bring together leading global investors BlackRock, GIP and MGX, an AI and advanced technology investor, with funding as well as expertise from Microsoft. It combines a deep understanding of infrastructure and technology to drive efficient scaling of data centers, with energy, power, and decarbonization investment capabilities for related enabling infrastructure for AI.
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