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Musk’s xAI buys third building to expand AI compute power

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xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, has acquired a third building as part of its effort to significantly expand computing capacity, Musk said on Tuesday. The move is aimed at boosting xAI’s training infrastructure to nearly 2 gigawatts of compute power.

The expansion highlights xAI’s ambition to compete more aggressively with leading AI developers such as OpenAI, which develops ChatGPT, and Anthropic, creator of the Claude chatbot. xAI’s main supercomputer cluster, known as Colossus and located in Memphis, Tennessee, has been described by Musk as the largest in the world.

“xAI has bought a third building called MACROHARDRR,” Musk wrote on X, without revealing the site’s exact location. The name appears to be a play on Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI.

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The Information, which reported the development earlier citing property records and a person familiar with the matter, said the new building is intended to support a third large-scale data centre planned outside Memphis.

According to the report, xAI plans to expand Colossus to house at least 1 million graphics processing units (GPUs). The company is expected to begin converting the newly acquired warehouse into a data centre in 2026. Both the planned facility and a separate expansion known as Colossus 2 are located near a natural gas power plant that xAI is building, alongside access to other power sources.

The rapid build-out of AI infrastructure has drawn criticism from environmental groups, who warn that large data centres consume vast amounts of energy and place strain on local power grids.

Vodacom Partners with Elon Musk’s Starlink to Expand High-Speed Internet Across Africa

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Vodacom Group (VODJ.J), South Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has signed a landmark partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband to businesses across Africa, the company announced on Wednesday.

The deal aims to bridge one of the continent’s toughest connectivity challenges — extending reliable internet coverage to remote and rural regions where traditional mobile infrastructure remains costly due to sparse populations and difficult terrain.

Vodacom, which serves more than 223 million customers and is majority-owned by Britain’s Vodafone (VOD.L), said it will integrate Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology into its network to enhance data relay capacity. The agreement also allows Vodacom to resell Starlink’s equipment and services directly to African customers.

“We continue dealing with multiple satellite providers, including Starlink, where Starlink has been licensed, as well as AST SpaceMobile and Amazon Kuiper,” CEO Shameel Joosub told Reuters following the company’s interim results on Monday.

The move underscores a growing trend among African telecom operators to partner with next-generation satellite companies. Rival MTN Group (MTNJ.J) is also exploring similar deals, while Vodafone has already teamed up with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile (ASTS.O) to strengthen its global connectivity footprint.

By leveraging Starlink’s network of thousands of orbiting satellites, Vodacom aims to deliver faster and more reliable broadband to underserved areas — a critical step in Africa’s digital transformation.

Rivian Awards CEO RJ Scaringe a $4.6 Billion Pay Package Modeled on Musk’s Tesla Deal

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Electric vehicle maker Rivian has unveiled a massive $4.6 billion compensation plan for CEO RJ Scaringe, mirroring the structure of Elon Musk’s Tesla pay package. The deal, announced Friday, is one of the largest executive awards in history, tying Scaringe’s payout to ambitious profit and share price milestones over the next decade.

The move signals Rivian’s determination to retain its founder and keep him focused on growth as the company prepares to launch its smaller, more affordable R2 SUV next year — a key model aimed at competing with Tesla’s Model Y.

Rivian said the new plan replaces an earlier one issued in 2021 that was unlikely to be met. The updated package includes options to purchase 36.5 million shares at $15.22 each, vesting if Rivian’s stock hits price targets ranging from $40 to $140 a share over the next ten years. The company’s previous plan required share prices between $110 and $295, thresholds now deemed unrealistic amid market pressures and the removal of EV tax credits that have slowed sales.

The award also introduces operating income and cash flow goals over seven years. Rivian shares closed at $15.22 on Thursday — exactly the strike price for Scaringe’s new options.

“This plan keeps RJ incentivized to scale Rivian efficiently while aligning his success with shareholder returns,” said a company statement.

The EV startup recently laid off 600 employees, or 4.5% of its workforce, as part of cost-cutting efforts. Still, the company insists it is on track to improve profitability and expand production.

Separately, Scaringe was granted 1 million common units in Mind Robotics, a new Rivian spinoff focused on industrial AI technology. He will serve as chairman of its board and could earn up to a 10% stake once the venture turns a profit.