Nvidia, xAI, and more set to acquire Aligned Data Centers for $40B

A group of investors, including Nvidia, Microsoft, BlackRock, Elon Musk’s xAI, and MGX of Abu Dhabi, announced yesterday that they are buying Aligned Data Centers for $40 billion.

The company designs and operates data centers and campuses around the Americas, and the acquisition is said to be the largest global data center deal to date. It is expected to close in 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

The acquisition comes as tech giants race to build data centers, which are critical for running AI workloads and training models. The tech infrastructure is also creating a massive electricity demand that strains the US power grid.

One AI data center can use as much electricity as 1,000 Walmart stores, and AI searches consume far more energy than typical internet searches.