Meta Builds Data Centers in Tents to Accelerate AI Infrastructure Deployment
Meta has constructed six large tent structures housing data centers near New Albany, Ohio, as part of efforts to rapidly deploy AI computing infrastructure. The company is using weatherproof tents—a strategy previously employed by Tesla and xAI—to cut construction time in half and reduce capital expenditure costs. The approach reflects the intensifying competition in AI infrastructure as Meta aims to deliver AI models and APIs to developers while managing a planned $145 billion capital expenditure.
Meta has built six tent-like structures, officially called "rapid deployment structures," outside New Albany, Ohio to house data centers for its AI operations. According to satellite imagery and local permit reviews by data center tracker Michael Thomas, Meta constructed five 125,000-square-foot tents between April and June, with the structures now complete. The tents are powered by 200 megawatts of modular gas turbines, a tactic popularized by competitor xAI. This approach mirrors Tesla's use of temporary structures during its Model 3 production ramp-up. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously disclosed plans to use weatherproof tents for multi-gigawatt data centers. The company is deploying dozens of such tents across multiple U.S. campuses, each containing billions of dollars worth of AI chips. This infrastructure acceleration comes as Meta faces delays in releasing developer APIs for its latest AI model, Muse Spark, and as Wall Street has reacted negatively to the company's $145 billion capital expenditure plan.
What different sources said
- Hacker NewsCenter
Meta steals a tactic from Tesla and builds data centers in tents
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