WASHINGTON, D.C. — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a plan to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on building some of the world’s largest artificial intelligence data centers, as the company pushes forward with its goal of creating what it calls “superintelligence.”
In a statement shared on Threads, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the first site Prometheus will be constructed in New Albany, Ohio, and is expected to begin operations in 2026. Another site named Hyperion will be located in Louisiana and could take full shape by 2030.
“Just one of these titan clusters will span an area roughly the size of Manhattan,” CEO Zuckerberg wrote. Manhattan covers about 59.1 square kilometers (22.8 square miles).
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta is constructing multiple “multi-gigawatt clusters” designed to support the intense computing demands of advanced AI systems. He emphasized the scale of investment, confirming that Meta will commit “hundreds of billions of dollars… to build superintelligence.”
Meta, known primarily for social media and advertising, brought in over $160 billion in revenue in 2024. But the company is now moving aggressively into AI, racing against other major tech firms to lead in the development of high-performance artificial intelligence platforms.
Stock market data showed Meta shares peaked by 1% following the announcement. The stock is up more than 20% in 2025 alone.
According to tech infrastructure analysts, Meta’s plan places it firmly in the top tier of global AI competitors. “Zuckerberg clearly wants to lead the AI industry by building massive infrastructure,” one analyst said. “The teams he’s hiring will have access to world-class AI hardware.”
While the project highlights the explosive growth of AI, it also brings renewed attention to the environmental toll of large-scale data centers. A recent study estimated that global AI facilities could consume as much as 1.7 trillion gallons of water by 2027. Each AI query such as one sent to a chatbot can use as much water as a small commercial water bottle.
With at least 10,000 data centers already operating worldwide most located in the U.S. the rise of generative AI is rapidly accelerating power and water use. Meta’s facilities are expected to add significant demand to existing grids.
Despite these concerns, Meta appears committed to pushing ahead. Both Prometheus and Hyperion are being branded not only as data centers, but as the core engines behind Meta’s pursuit of AI capable of surpassing human intelligence.
By naming the projects after Greek mythological figures, Zuckerberg said the company aimed to reflect the massive scope and impact of the infrastructure. “These are not just servers,” he noted. “They are the foundation for the next wave of intelligent systems.”
Meta’s move underscores the growing influence of AI in shaping future industries, policies, and technologies. Whether it achieves its goal of building superintelligence or not, the scale of the investment marks a major shift in how technology firms are preparing for the next decade.
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