Microsoft Builds AI Data Centers in Abilene, Neighbors OpenAI

0:00Microsoft is stepping in to build two new AI data centers in Avaline, Texas after OpenAI backed out of expanding there. The project, run by developer Crusoe, sits right next to a huge campus already under construction for OpenAI and Oracle. This makes Microsoft neighbors with its former close partner OpenAI, where it still owns about 27% of the company. OpenAI's site is part of its massive Stargate initiative, one of the biggest AI computing hubs in the country, with several buildings already finished. And more do, by years end. OpenAI decided against growing the Avaline location further, opting instead for over half a dozen other sites nationwide, including one in Wisconsin, with Oracle. The shift highlights how these tech giants are charting their own paths in the AI race, even on shared land. The new Microsoft buildings, plus an on-site power plant, will push the total campus to 10 structures and 2.1 gigawatts of power.

1:00Was started as a cryptocurrency mining spot, has transformed into a key AI powerhouse amid the recent boom. Meanwhile, the push for more computing muscle raises questions about energy use, as these facilities rely heavily on gas-fire plants alongside grid. Power from wind farms, challenging broader goals to cut emissions. That wraps El Paso news today, brought to you with AI. I'm Corey with the story.