The rising AI data center project in Wisconsin marks a significant step announced by Microsoft under the name Fairwater. The company aims to have this center operational by early 2026 and draws attention with its cost, which is of great importance. Built on land previously occupied by the old Foxconn LCD factory, the facility has long been a symbol of a prolonged stagnation after the investments that were previously expected to be realized.
Located on a total area of 315 acres and comprising three large buildings, Fairwater offers approximately 1.2 million square meters of enclosed space. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, these buildings host a massive fiber network connected by hundreds of thousands of Nvidia GB200 GPUs. Nadella describes the length of this fiber network as being long enough to circle the Earth 4.5 times. The company claims that the performance of these GPU clusters is ten times more powerful than the fastest supercomputers currently available.
Fairwater aims to significantly accelerate the training and operation processes of large-scale artificial intelligence models. However, it is not limited to a single data center; reports on the construction process of similar data centers across the US are seen as part of Microsoft’s goal to scale the infrastructure globally.
To minimize environmental impacts, a dedicated closed-loop cooling system is used. This system is filled only once to reduce water consumption and is turned off to prevent evaporation. Microsoft Chairman Brad Smith highlighted its sustainability vision during the announcement of the project, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is following a responsible path in the face of increasing energy needs and environmental concerns.
