Yazılar

Nebius to Raise $3 Billion Following Landmark Microsoft Deal

/in /tarafından

AI infrastructure company Nebius Group announced Wednesday it will raise $3 billion to accelerate growth in its artificial intelligence cloud business, just days after striking a $17.4 billion deal with Microsoft.

The funding package includes a $2 billion private offering of convertible senior notes and a $1 billion underwritten public offering of class A shares. Goldman Sachs will serve as the lead book-running manager, joined by Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities, and Citigroup.

Nebius said the funds will be used to expand its compute and hardware capacity, secure land from reliable providers, and grow its data center footprint.

The announcement follows Monday’s news that Nebius will provide Microsoft with GPU infrastructure capacity for five years, a contract worth up to $19.4 billion if additional services are included. The deal sent Nebius’ Nasdaq-listed shares soaring 49% to a record high on Tuesday, though they slipped 5.6% in pre-market trading Wednesday. Year to date, shares have climbed an impressive 245%.

Nebius was formed after splitting assets from Russian tech company Yandex. Its rise highlights the surging demand for data center capacity worldwide, driven by the explosive growth of generative AI technologies.

Trump EPA Proposes Faster Permitting to Speed AI Infrastructure Buildout

/in /tarafından

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Donald Trump unveiled a proposal on Tuesday to accelerate permitting for AI-related infrastructure, allowing companies to begin construction of certain facilities before receiving Clean Air Act air permits.

Key elements of the proposal

  • Early construction allowance: Firms could start building parts of projects not directly tied to emissions before permits are finalized.

  • Target facilities: Power plants, manufacturing hubs, and data center infrastructure.

  • Objective: Reduce permitting delays that have long been cited as barriers to large-scale projects.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said:

“For years, Clean Air Act permitting has been an obstacle to innovation and growth. We are continuing to fix this broken system.”

Context

  • The proposal follows the EPA’s “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative launched six months ago, prioritizing power generation for AI-driven data centers.

  • The U.S. and China remain locked in a tech arms race, with AI development central to both economic and national security ambitions.

  • Rapid AI adoption is fueling surging demand for power, putting pressure on utilities and grids nationwide.

Regulatory background

  • Under the New Source Review program, companies cannot normally begin construction of major facilities before securing air permits.

  • The Trump administration is pushing a deregulatory agenda, including repeals of scientific and legal bases for greenhouse gas regulation — a move widely criticized by environmentalists.

Implications

  • Supporters argue the change will fast-track AI infrastructure, critical for U.S. competitiveness.

  • Critics warn it could weaken environmental safeguards and increase pollution risks while AI-related energy demand skyrockets.

Nebius Signs $17.4 Billion AI Infrastructure Deal With Microsoft

/in /tarafından

Nebius Group (NBIS.O) announced on Monday a five-year agreement with Microsoft (MSFT.O) to provide GPU infrastructure capacity, a deal valued at $17.4 billion that could expand to $19.4 billion if additional services are acquired. The news sent Nebius shares surging more than 47% in after-hours trading.

The partnership highlights the escalating demand for high-performance AI compute as tech giants race to secure infrastructure for training and running advanced models. Under the deal, Microsoft will gain access to Nebius’ dedicated GPU infrastructure from a new Vineland, New Jersey data center starting later this year.

Nebius specializes in offering AI cloud services powered by Nvidia GPUs, combining computing, storage, management tools, and in-house designed hardware to support AI developers. CEO Arkady Volozh said the deal is not only financially significant but also positions Nebius for accelerated AI cloud growth from 2026 onwards.

Microsoft already stands as the largest customer of CoreWeave (CRWV.O), another AI infrastructure provider. The Nebius agreement suggests the company is broadening its supply chain to mitigate risks as hyperscaler demand grows.

Amsterdam-based Nebius was formed after the split of Russian tech giant Yandex, and has been expanding rapidly into the U.S. and European AI infrastructure markets.