NEW YORK & DALLAS ~ A consortium including BlackRock, Nvidia, Microsoft, and xAI announced Wednesday that it will acquire Aligned Data Centers from Macquarie Asset Management in a deal valued at $40 billion.
The acquisition marks the first investment by the newly formed Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership, or AIP, as demand for AI data centers accelerates. Nvidia shares rose 1 percent in early trading following the announcement.
Aligned Data Centers, based in Dallas, operates 50 campuses across the U.S. and Latin America, offering more than five gigawatts of operational and planned capacity. The company specializes in designing, building, and operating AI data centers for hyperscalers, neoclouds, and enterprises.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals. CEO Andrew Schaap will continue to lead the company after the acquisition.
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock and chairman of AIP, said, “With this investment in Aligned, we are taking a critical step toward providing the AI data centers necessary to power the next generation of artificial intelligence technologies.”
Other anchor investors in AIP include the Kuwait Investment Authority and Singapore’s state owned investor Temasek. Industry analysts said the deal highlights the increasing focus on AI data centers.
“AI data centers are becoming essential for advanced computing,” said Priya Kapoor, an AI infrastructure analyst at Redwood Research. “This investment ensures companies have the high performance, reliable facilities needed to support large scale AI models.”
Bayo Ogunlesi, chairman and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners, noted that the partnership combines technical expertise with substantial financial backing to scale AI data centers efficiently.
The acquisition follows a wave of investments aimed at expanding AI data centers. OpenAI recently announced agreements totaling roughly 26 gigawatts of computing capacity, enough to power about 20 million US homes.
According to Morgan Stanley, global spending on AI data centers is expected to exceed $400 billion in 2025. Aligned’s campuses provide scalable, high density environments capable of meeting these growing demands, positioning it as a key player in AI data center development.
Communities in Dallas and other regions hosting Aligned campuses could see economic benefits, including job creation and increased local investment.
However, environmental groups have raised questions about the energy consumption of large scale AI data centers, prompting calls for sustainable practices.
Karen Molina, a Dallas based urban planner, said, Data centers bring economic activity, but local governments and companies must balance growth with energy efficiency and sustainability concerns.
AIP plans to deploy an initial $30 billion in equity capital, with the possibility of reaching $100 billion including debt. The partnership aims to expand Aligned’s footprint across the US and Latin America and lease specialized AI data centers to major tech companies.
By outsourcing data center development to AIP, tech firms like Google, Meta, and OpenAI can focus on AI research while avoiding the high capital costs of owning and operating large scale facilities.
The acquisition of Aligned Data Centers represents a major investment in AI data centers, combining financial resources from global investors with technical expertise from leading technology firms.
As AI adoption accelerates, deals like this could shape the competitive landscape of the industry, ensuring sufficient AI data centers are in place to support the next generation of AI innovation.