Mukesh Ambani plans to build world’s biggest data center in India: key things to know

Here are key points to know:

• Mukesh Ambani is buying Nvidia’s artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors and setting up a data centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar with a total capacity of three gigawatts, the report cited sources as saying. That would make it bigger than any operating data centre.
• The largest data centres operating now are under 1 gigawatt, which makes Ambani’s offering much larger. Data center capacity is often measured in megawatts, showing the site’s ability to power servers, cooling systems, and equipment. A higher capacity enables more computing operations, which is particularly important for AI models.
• According to the report, such a facility in Jamnagar would cost between $20 billion and $30 billion and it is unclear how the conglomerate plans to pay for it.
• India’s current data capacity is under 1 gigawatt, and the Jamnagar facility would substantially boost it, especially with the country’s AI ambitions in focus. Reliance aims to power the new data center as much as possible with renewable energy, the report said.
• Ambani’s commitment comes as the US is stepping up efforts to set up AI infrastructure. The ‘Stargate Project,’ backed by top tech giants, will be a new company that intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure in the US. This project is not only aimed at supporting the re-industrialisation of the United States but also to provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies, OpenAI said.
• At the 47th annual general meeting of RIL in August, chairman Ambani said Jio is developing a suite of tools and platforms that span the entire AI lifecycle, called Jio Brain. Reliance aims to create the world’s lowest AI inferencing cost, he said. “We are committed to democratising AI. We will partner with leading global companies to make AI applications more affordable.”

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