Meta's $72B AI Bet, Microsoft Azure's $75B Revenue, and Samsung's AI Chip Investment - Silicon Brief #29

Hi there,

In this edition of Silicon Brief, we're diving into the latest developments in AI chips and data centers. Micron has unveiled its new PCIe Gen6 and high-capacity SSDs designed specifically for AI applications, while Samsung is making strategic investments in the AI chip startup Rebellions. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is planning to expand its data center capabilities with its new Oryon Chips, and Intel has announced delays in its projects in Germany and Poland.

On the data center front, Foxconn and TECO have formed an alliance to advance AI data centers, and Microsoft Azure has reported a significant $75 billion revenue for FY2025. Additionally, CoreWeave has secured $2.6 billion to bolster its AI infrastructure, and Meta is planning a substantial investment of up to $72 billion in AI infrastructure by 2025. Stay tuned as we explore these stories and more in this edition.

Trinasolar is supplying AI data centers with its Vertex +700W PV modules to address high energy demands and reduce carbon emissions. Fermi America and Hyundai Engineering & Construction are collaborating on a nuclear component for an AI grid, set to deliver up to 11 GW of power. Google partners with Energy Dome for CO2 battery storage to support its 2030 carbon-free energy goal. DTE Energy is in talks to supply over 3 gigawatts of electricity to Big Tech data centers. Fervo Energy plans a geothermal corridor in Utah for AI power needs, while Helion Energy begins constructing a nuclear fusion plant for Microsoft data centers.

Philatron International has introduced its Philaflex® power cables, highlighting quick lead times and reliability for AI and cloud infrastructures. Green Critical Minerals is transitioning to manufacturing with its Very High Density graphite technology, designed to enhance thermal management in data centers. ScaleFlux, ICC, and Croit have launched a new turnkey Ceph storage appliance aimed at enhancing performance and accessibility for AI and high-performance computing workloads. Karpowership's Kinetics unit plans to create floating data centers using seawater cooling to improve energy efficiency. Jerusalem-based startup Teramount has secured $50 million in funding to enhance optical connectivity technology for AI applications. Modine has announced a $100 million investment to expand its manufacturing capacity for data center cooling solutions in North America. On July 29, 2025, WhiteFiber revealed its plans for an initial public offering of 7,812,500 shares, aiming for a price range between $15.00 and $17.00 per share.

Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) and TECO Electric & Machinery Co Ltd have formed a strategic alliance to enhance AI infrastructure capabilities globally. Iberdrola and Echelon are partnering to develop hyperscale data centres in Spain, starting with a project in Madrid. Microsoft Azure reported $75 billion in revenue for FY2025, driven by AI and cloud infrastructure investments. The Uptime Institute survey indicates that one-third of data centers are engaged in AI activities. Nscale, Aker ASA, and OpenAI announced the Stargate Norway project, featuring a 230 MW data center in Narvik, Northern Norway.

Micron Technology, Inc. has unveiled new PCIe Gen6 and high-capacity SSDs to enhance AI data center performance, while Samsung invests in AI chip startup Rebellions as it develops a second-generation chip. CoAsia SEMI partners with Rebellions for AI chiplet development, and Intel delays projects in Germany and Poland. Enfabrica launches EMFASYS to cut AI memory costs, and Qualcomm plans data center expansion with Oryon chips. Meanwhile, Cerebras Systems seeks $1 billion in funding, and STMicroelectronics aims to acquire NXP's MEMS sensor business. Positron AI claims its Atlas accelerator outperforms Nvidia in efficiency, and Groq plans a $600 million fundraising round.