Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani plots world's largest AI data center in India

Forward-looking: Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani is gearing up to take on global tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. The billionaire has announced plans to build what could potentially become the world's largest AI data center, strategically located in his home state of Gujarat.

The data center is being constructed in Jamnagar and is projected to have a staggering total capacity of three gigawatts upon completion. For perspective, the largest operational data centers today peak at under one gigawatt. This means Ambani's facility would dwarf anything currently in existence.

Building such a massive data center is no small feat. Cost estimates place the project in the range of $20-30 billion, based on pricing for similar large-scale facilities. Bloomberg notes that Reliance Industries, Ambani's flagship company, has approximately $26 billion on its balance sheet. To finance this ambitious undertaking, Ambani may need to explore creative solutions, including potential government funding.

Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani, pictured alongside their iconic 27-story residence, Antilia – a symbol of architectural marvel and unparalleled luxury in Mumbai.

Adding to the excitement, the report highlights that Ambani has already begun purchasing chips from Nvidia to power the data center's infrastructure.

If Ambani can pull it off, he aims to dominate the AI market by offering low-cost inferencing services. This strategy involves renting out compute power to companies looking to run AI models without shouldering the expense of building and maintaining their own data centers.

Ambani is no stranger to aggressive, market-disrupting tactics. His infamous price war in the telecom sector drove several Indian carriers, including Aircel and Telenor, out of business. Now, it seems he's applying a similar playbook to the burgeoning AI compute market.

What makes this project even more intriguing is Ambani's commitment to sustainability. The massive data center will be powered, as much as possible, by renewable energy sourced from an adjacent green energy complex featuring wind, solar, and hydrogen power.

However, Ambani isn't alone in the race to expand AI compute capacity. This week, OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle announced a new venture called the Stargate Project, with plans to invest a staggering $500 billion in AI infrastructure across the United States.