Artificial intelligence is triggering one of the largest waves of capital investment in modern economic history. Companies worldwide are set to spend about $375 billion on AI infrastructure in 2025, with investment climbing to $500 billion in 2026, according to The New York Times.
The money is being poured into data centres, semiconductor fabrication plants and energy systems, fuelling growth across the global economy. Government data suggests software and computing hardware already account for a quarter of domestic economic growth, underscoring how central AI has become to economic momentum.
Industry experts forecast global investment in AI infrastructure could reach $7 trillion over the next decade. Data centre construction is now outpacing office building projects, reflecting the strategic priority companies and governments place on enabling AI at scale.
Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, predicts the AI chip market alone will be worth trillions within five years. He expects $3 to $4 trillion in AI infrastructure spending by 2030, supported by demand from technology giants and data centre operators. Nvidia’s outlook is reinforced by record global sales of its high-end GPUs.
Tech majors are backing those projections with landmark commitments. Google has pledged $9 billion for new cloud and AI infrastructure in Virginia and secured a $10 billion cloud services contract with Meta, its biggest ever, to support Meta’s AI ambitions. Meta, in turn, is pursuing what could become the world’s largest AI data centre in Louisiana, with an estimated $50 billion price tag. It is also planning a 2,000-MW data campus and investing up to $65 billion in AI infrastructure by the end of 2025, including the purchase of more than 1.3 million GPUs.
Brookfield Asset Management forecasts $4 trillion of the next decade’s AI investment will go into chips, $2 trillion into data centres and around $500 billion each into power and supporting technologies. AI-focused data centre capacity is expected to almost double to 15 GW by the end of 2025, then expand more than fivefold to 82 GW by 2034.
The financial intensity of model development is another driver. Training frontier systems such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Google’s Gemini Ultra can cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, making access to advanced infrastructure a prerequisite for competition.
For the UK, the boom presents both opportunity and challenge. By encouraging responsible innovation, aligning investment with clean energy and embedding strong regulatory frameworks, Britain could turn the surge into a competitive advantage and bolster its ambition to be a global AI leader.
The AI infrastructure race is more than an economic trend—it represents a foundational shift in technology and industrial strategy. Nations and firms that can combine capital with foresight stand to shape the digital economy for decades to come.
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Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent developments in AI infrastructure investments, with specific figures and projections. The earliest known publication date of similar content is January 21, 2025, when the Stargate Project was announced. The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, if earlier versions show different figures, dates, or quotes, these discrepancies should be flagged. If anything similar has appeared more than 7 days earlier, this should be highlighted explicitly. If the article includes updated data but recycles older material, mention that the update may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from industry leaders such as Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, and statements about Meta's investment plans. The earliest known usage of these quotes is from August 28, 2025, in a Reuters article. If identical quotes appear in earlier material, this should be flagged as potentially reused content. If quote wording varies, note the differences. If no online matches are found, raise the score but flag as potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative originates from Inbenta, a company known for its AI solutions. While Inbenta is a reputable organisation, the report's reliance on a press release may indicate a higher freshness score. However, if the narrative originates from an obscure, unverifiable, or single-outlet narrative, this should be flagged as uncertain. If a person, organisation, or company mentioned in the report cannot be verified online, flag as potentially fabricated.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative presents plausible claims about AI infrastructure investments, supported by recent reports from reputable sources. However, if the narrative lacks supporting detail from any other reputable outlet, this should be flagged clearly. If the report lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, or dates, reduce the score and flag as potentially synthetic. If language or tone feels inconsistent with the region or topic, flag as suspicious. If the structure includes excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim, note this as a possible distraction tactic. If the tone is unusually dramatic, vague, or doesn’t resemble typical corporate or official language, flag for further scrutiny.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents recent developments in AI infrastructure investments, with specific figures and projections. While the content is plausible and supported by recent reports, the reliance on a press release and the potential recycling of older material raise concerns about freshness and originality. The source's reliability is moderate, and the plausibility of the claims is reasonable. Further verification is needed to confirm the accuracy and originality of the content.
