Facebook: Meta 'rescopes' global projects

Meta, as part of a wider plan to integrate AI into its data center operations, has paused a number of its data center projects in a 'rescoping' effort, it has been announced. The first facility development that the giant announced it was halting was at its data center campus in Odense, Denmark, where it was adding a fourth and fifth building. As per a report by DCD, the company, formerly Facebook, announced it was terminating the contract of its primary contractor on two of its data center projects in Denmark, part of the Odense expansion. Now, it has become apparent that 11 currently under-development projects are in line to be paused so that the company's facilities can support AI workload at scale.

While these other projects are being 're-scoped,' its Odense site reportedly doesn't fit the giant's current needs, and so is not being taken any further. The contract was set to be worth DKK 2.4 billion ($343 million), with the project due to be complete by 2025. According to reports, Aaresleff had already carried out earthwork and concrete work, and laid kilometers of cable trenches after the contract began on 3 August.

It has now been announced that construction at Meta's Temple, Texas data center has also been paused. Speaking about this, in a statement, the company said: "In order to best serve our needs for the future, we have decided to change the design of our data center in Temple which will result in a temporary construction pause while we update our plans."

"We remain committed to this community, our local stakeholders, and our supply chain partners. We will work closely with our stakeholders to transition this project design as efficiently as possible."

Meta is yet to disclose further information about its new design plans, but it has been said that this could boost liquid cooling.

Some have highlighted that this cooling-off period may prove a wise move for the company and its shares, considering that Meta's continued investment in Metaverse expansion had come under significant scrutiny in recent months, with shares plunging by 25% in one day back in October.