Amazon's $100B, SoftBank's Ampere Deal, and UAE's French Data Center - Silicon Brief #4

Hi there, In this edition of Silicon Brief, we're diving into the latest developments in AI chips and data centers. Monolithic Power Systems has reported a significant boost in their Q1 revenue, driven by the increasing demand for AI technologies. Meanwhile, SoftBank Group is in discussions to acquire Ampere Computing, a move that could reshape the landscape of AI hardware. On the data center front, Amazon has announced a massive $100 billion investment in AI infrastructure for 2025, highlighting the growing importance of AI in data center operations. Additionally, CoreWeave has launched new Nvidia GB200 NVL72 instances, and Supermicro has started production of NVIDIA Blackwell Solutions, both of which are set to enhance AI processing capabilities. In Europe, the UAE is planning to invest in what will be the continent's largest AI data center, located in France. These developments underscore the rapid advancements and investments being made in AI technology and infrastructure globally.

Sustainability Economics and Gujarat Power Corporation Limited have signed an MoU to integrate AI with clean energy, focusing on AI cloud parks and technologies like green hydrogen and offshore wind. Over 100 organizations, including Amnesty International and the AI Now Institute, have signed a letter urging action against AI's environmental harm, highlighting emissions and resource depletion concerns. X-energy, a Small Modular Reactor company, has raised $700 million in a funding round led by Amazon to advance its reactor design and development. Crusoe and Kalina Distributed Power have partnered to develop AI data centers in Alberta, Canada, using natural gas. The centers will be powered by three gas-fired plants and include carbon capture technology.

Y Combinator plans to invest in startups focused on automating data centre operations, from site selection to construction, to enhance AI infrastructure growth. Iliad plans a €3 billion investment to boost AI infrastructure, including data centers and computing power, through its subsidiary OpCore. Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has received a Tier III design certification for its upcoming Caloocan Data Center, ensuring high standards for redundancy and reliability.

Monolithic Power Systems anticipates Q1 revenue between $610 million and $630 million, driven by AI demand, surpassing analysts' estimates and boosting shares by 14%. SoftBank Group is in advanced talks to acquire Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion, with a potential announcement soon. CoreWeave launches Nvidia GB200 NVL72 instances, scaling up to 110,000 GPUs, in the US-West-01 region.