Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

Read more

Blackstone, the American investment company and the world’s largest private data center owner, has announced a $5 billion investment in a new joint venture with Google to develop cloud computing infrastructure powered by TPUs, specialized chips designed for artificial intelligence workloads, AzerNEWS reports.

The initiative aims to bring 500 megawatts of computing capacity online by 2027, with plans for further expansion over time. Under the agreement, Google will supply the new venture with hardware, including TPUs, as well as software and related services.

The project is widely seen as a major step toward addressing surging global demand for AI computing power. “We are incredibly proud to partner with Google, combining their world-class TPUs and AI capabilities with Blackstone’s exceptional strengths in energy and digital infrastructure,” said Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone.

According to CNBC, the deal underscores intensifying competition in AI hardware between Google and Nvidia, whose graphics processing units dominate the industry. While Google continues to rely on Nvidia GPUs within its cloud infrastructure, it is increasingly seeking to reduce its dependence on external suppliers.

Blackstone has not disclosed the ownership structure of the new venture and has not responded to media inquiries regarding the agreement.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that the two companies were preparing to establish the joint venture, with Blackstone expected to hold a larger stake. The report also noted that potential data center sites have already been identified, some of which are currently under construction.