Meta builds six 125,000 sq ft AI tents in Ohio

In a striking departure from traditional construction, Meta has erected six large tents outside New Albany, Ohio, to house high-powered computing equipment for artificial intelligence. This unconventional approach, using what the company calls "rapid deployment structures," is aimed at dramatically accelerating the rollout of its AI data centers amidst intensifying industry competition.

The structures were built between April and June, according to Michael Thomas, founder of the data center tracking firm Cleanview, who reviewed city permits and posted satellite imagery of the site. Each tent spans approximately 125,000 square feet. This rapid deployment contrasts with Meta's previous data center builds in the same location, where the first five conventional buildings took approximately two to three years to complete.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously outlined plans to use weatherproof tents for multigigawatt data centers in an interview last year. The company is also employing this strategy at another AI data center site in Tennessee, indicating a broader shift in its construction methodology. Industry observers have noted the approach mirrors tactics used by Tesla, which...