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Microsoft Signs $9.7 Billion Cloud Deal with IREN to Boost AI Computing Power

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Microsoft has signed a $9.7 billion cloud computing deal with U.S.-based data center operator IREN to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure and ease ongoing computing bottlenecks. The agreement, which includes access to Nvidia’s powerful GB300 chips, underscores the growing global demand for AI processing capacity.

Shares of IREN surged nearly 25% to a record high following the announcement before settling up around 10%. Dell Technologies, which will supply Nvidia’s advanced chips and related equipment to IREN, also gained about 1%. Under the five-year agreement, Microsoft will use roughly $5.8 billion worth of IREN’s computing hardware and infrastructure capacity.

The deal allows Microsoft to scale its AI operations without immediately building new data centers or acquiring additional power resources — key hurdles that have limited the company’s ability to meet soaring demand for applications like ChatGPT and Copilot. The approach also helps reduce heavy capital spending on rapidly depreciating hardware as newer processors enter the market.

IREN operates data centers across North America with a total capacity of 2,910 megawatts. The Nvidia chips will be deployed in phases through 2026 at the company’s 750-megawatt facility in Childress, Texas, which will include liquid-cooled centers providing 200 megawatts of new IT capacity.

The deal follows Microsoft’s recent $17.4 billion agreement with AI cloud provider Nebius and reflects the company’s strategy to leverage “neocloud” partners such as IREN and CoreWeave to expand capacity. IREN said Microsoft’s prepayment will help fund its $5.8 billion Dell contract, though the deal could be canceled if deadlines are missed.

The Global AI Buildout Accelerates as Tech Titans Drive Record Investment

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The global race to build artificial intelligence infrastructure shows no sign of slowing, as technology giants and industrial firms alike pour trillions into data centers, chips, and computing power. Nvidia’s market value soared past $5 trillion this week — a milestone that underscores how central AI has become to the global economy.

In a whirlwind week for the tech sector, Microsoft and OpenAI struck a landmark deal expanding the ChatGPT maker’s fundraising capacity, while Amazon announced 14,000 corporate job cuts just days before its cloud division reported its fastest growth in nearly three years. Together, these developments highlight AI as the defining engine of modern corporate spending and stock market momentum.

AI’s impact now extends beyond Silicon Valley. Over 100 non-tech companies — from Honeywell and GE Vernova to Caterpillar — referenced data centers in their earnings calls, signaling how deeply AI demand is reshaping industrial supply chains. Caterpillar’s data center equipment sales jumped 31% last quarter, reflecting the sector’s explosive growth.

Goldman Sachs projects global AI-related infrastructure spending could reach up to $4 trillion by 2030. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet are expected to collectively invest around $350 billion this year alone. Meanwhile, AI investment is fueling international trade, with the U.S. importing vast quantities of semiconductors from Taiwan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Despite talk of an AI “bubble,” companies continue to ramp up spending. Apple plans to significantly boost AI investments, and Amazon is projecting capital expenditures of $125 billion in 2025. Economists say this phase of the AI revolution remains in its early stages — with innovation advancing faster than any technology cycle in recent history.

Nvidia CEO Hopes to Sell Blackwell Chips in China but Says Decision Rests with Trump

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Friday that he hopes the company’s latest Blackwell AI chips can eventually be sold in China, but acknowledged that the decision ultimately depends on U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during his first official visit to South Korea in over a decade, Huang expressed optimism following recent talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping but said he was not briefed on their discussion details.

Trump told reporters after the meeting that semiconductors were discussed and that China “will be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips,” but clarified, “We’re not talking about the Blackwell.”

Huang emphasized that restoring Nvidia’s presence in China would benefit both nations. “We’re always hoping to return to China. It’s in the best interest of the United States and of China,” he said.

Tensions over China’s access to Nvidia’s high-end chips remain a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Washington has placed export restrictions on Nvidia’s most advanced AI processors to curb Beijing’s technological and military advancements. Huang has previously urged the Trump administration to relax those restrictions, arguing that Chinese reliance on U.S. hardware strengthens America’s influence.

Nvidia is developing a new chip for the Chinese market based on its Blackwell architecture that will comply with U.S. regulations but remain more capable than current export-approved models. However, Beijing has cooled toward Nvidia’s offerings, instead backing domestic alternatives like Huawei, which has recently announced plans to compete head-to-head with Nvidia in AI hardware.