Microsoft: Will invest 10 billion USD to build an AI data center in Portugal

Microsoft Corporation will invest $10 billion to build an artificial intelligence data center in Portugal, which is one of the company's largest single investments in Europe this year. On November 11, Microsoft President Brad Smith revealed the investment plan to local media “Jornal de Negócios” at the Web Summit held in Lisbon. The data center campus is located in Sines, about 150 kilometers south of Lisbon, and is being developed in cooperation with Portuguese developer Start Campus and British startup Nscale. A representative from Start Campus stated that the $10 billion investment scale is consistent with negotiation plans for the next stage of campus development. The entire campus plans to build six buildings, with the first building already in use since March this year. Microsoft Accelerates AI Infrastructure Expansion To meet the rapid growth in demand for AI services, Microsoft is expanding its computing power infrastructure worldwide. Recently, the company has established partnerships with several “new cloud” providers specializing in high-performance cloud computing services, including CoreWeave and Nebius. In addition to the Portugal project, Microsoft also plans to lease computing resources from Nscale in Norway and the UK. This diversified layout aims to ease current capacity constraints and ensure the ongoing ability to meet the growing market demand for AI services. Sines, a coastal town with about 15,000 residents, is becoming a key investment hub in Portugal. The area is connected by undersea cables linking Europe with Brazil and Africa, and Google is about to add a new line connecting to South Carolina. In May this year, Chinese company CALB began construction of a battery factory in Sines valued at 2 billion euros (approximately $2.3 billion). Sines is the proposed site for Portugal’s AI “super factory” project seeking EU support. Its unique geographic location and infrastructure advantages are making it an important data flow hub connecting multiple continents. Risk Disclosure and Disclaimer The market involves risk; invest with caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account the individual user's special investment goals, financial condition, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions expressed in this article are suitable for their particular circumstances. Investing based on this article is at your own risk.