MGX, AIP and BlackRock’s GIP close $40 billion Aligned Data Centres deal

Dubai: The infrastructure needed to power artificial intelligence is attracting investment on a scale once associated with major energy and telecommunications projects, with Abu Dhabi-based MGX joining partners to complete a $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centres.

The Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership, MGX and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners have acquired 100 per cent of Aligned from private infrastructure funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and its co-investment partners.

The transaction values Aligned at approximately $40 billion and ranks among the largest private investments completed in digital infrastructure.

The consortium has also committed a further $5 billion in growth capital to expand the company’s data centre network and increase the amount of capacity available for AI workloads.

Aligned is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing data centre developers, with 51 campuses and more than 6.4 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity.

Its portfolio is concentrated across major digital markets in the United States, including Northern Virginia, Chicago, Dallas, Ohio, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

The company also operates and develops assets in São Paulo, Querétaro and Santiago, giving the consortium exposure to growing digital infrastructure demand across North and Latin America.

Data centres provide the computing power needed by AI models, cloud platforms and other digital services, with rising demand requiring larger facilities, more electricity and increasingly advanced cooling systems.

Aligned has developed patented cooling technologies designed to reduce water consumption and improve the energy efficiency of its facilities.

The acquisition is the first investment completed by the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership, which was established to bring together technology companies and long-term investors to fund the next generation of AI infrastructure.

AIP is initially targeting $30 billion in equity commitments, with the potential to support as much as $100 billion of investment when debt financing is included.

The acquisition of Aligned gives the partnership an established data centre platform that can be expanded to meet demand from companies requiring high-density computing capacity.

MGX and the other consortium members will provide the long-term capital needed to grow the business while allowing Aligned to maintain its operational independence.

Aligned Chief Executive Officer Andrew Schaap and the current management team will continue to lead the company from its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

The additional investment will be used to expand Aligned’s footprint and build more AI-ready capacity for its customers.

Growth plans also include the redevelopment of older sites, local job creation, workforce training and investments intended to improve the resilience of electricity grids in the communities where the company operates.

The company will continue developing infrastructure capable of handling the power and cooling requirements of advanced computing systems.

- With inputs from WAM.