The development of the most powerful AI capabilities will require significant investment in infrastructure. To this end, BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Microsoft, and MGX have announced the creation of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) to invest in new and expanded data centers to meet the growing demand for computing power, as well as in energy infrastructure to create new power sources for these facilities. These infrastructure investments will primarily take place in the United States, driving AI innovation and economic growth, with the remainder invested in U.S. partner countries.
This partnership will support an open architecture and a broad ecosystem, providing full, non-exclusive access for a diverse range of partners and companies. NVIDIA will back GAIIP, offering its expertise in AI data centers and AI factories to benefit the AI ecosystem. GAIIP will also actively engage with industry leaders to help improve AI supply chains and energy sourcing for the benefit of its clients and the industry. The partnership will initially aim to unlock $30 billion in private capital over time from investors, asset owners, and corporations, which will in turn mobilize up to $100 billion in total potential investment when debt financing is included.
The founding members of the partnership bring together leading global investors such as BlackRock, GIP, and MGX, an investor in artificial intelligence and advanced technology, with financing and expertise from Microsoft. GAIIP combines deep knowledge of infrastructure and technology to drive the efficient scalability of data centers, along with investment capabilities in energy, power, and decarbonization for AI-related enabling infrastructure.
Commenting on this initiative, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of MGX, emphasized the importance of AI for the future of economies: “Artificial intelligence is not just an industry of the future, it is the foundation of the future. Through this unique partnership, we will enable faster innovation, technological breakthroughs, and transformative productivity gains across the global economy. The investments we make today will ensure a more sustainable, prosperous, and equitable future for all of humanity.”
“Mobilizing private capital to build AI infrastructure, such as data centers and energy, will unlock a long-term investment opportunity worth trillions of dollars. Data centers are the foundation of the digital economy, and these investments will help drive economic growth, create jobs, and foster technological innovation in AI,” added Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock.
Meanwhile, Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, stated: “We are committed to ensuring that AI helps drive innovation and growth across all sectors of the economy. The Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership will help us fulfill this vision by bringing together financial and industrial leaders to build the infrastructure of the future and power it sustainably.”
“There is a clear need to mobilize significant amounts of private capital to fund essential infrastructure investments. One manifestation of this is the capital required to support the development of AI. We are highly confident that the combined capabilities of our partnership will help accelerate the pace of AI-related infrastructure investments,” added Bayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners.
Finally, Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, stated: “Accelerated computing and generative AI are driving a growing need for AI infrastructure for the next industrial revolution. NVIDIA will use its expertise as a full computing platform to support GAIIP and its portfolio companies in the design and integration of AI factories to drive industry innovation.”
MGX was founded in Abu Dhabi earlier this year to invest in AI and advanced technologies with global partners to enable the technological fabric of the global economy, focusing on AI infrastructure, AI-enabled technology, and semiconductors. The announcement marks a major partnership within these segments, building on the emirate’s track record of investments in data centers, computing capacity, and enabling infrastructure.
Significant structural forces are creating opportunities for private capital to partner with corporations and governments to provide funding for critical infrastructure needs. BlackRock has an extensive network of corporate relationships as a long-term investor in both debt and equity, while GIP specializes in investing, owning, and operating some of the world’s largest and most complex infrastructure assets. These combined capabilities position BlackRock as a leading global investment platform to make these critical investments in data centers and related infrastructure, mobilizing private capital to support economic growth and job creation while generating long-term investment benefits for its clients.
For Funds Society, Madrid