Assistive TechnologyBusiness Acquisition

BlackRock-Nvidia Consortium Acquires Aligned Data Centers in $40B AI Infrastructure Deal

A consortium backed by BlackRock, Nvidia, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX has acquired Aligned Data Centers in a massive $40 billion transaction. The deal marks the first major investment for the AI Infrastructure Partnership formed last year and signals continued massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Major AI Infrastructure Acquisition

A consortium including BlackRock and Nvidia has acquired Aligned Data Centers from Australian Macquarie Group‘s asset management division in a transaction valued at $40 billion, according to reports emerging Wednesday. Sources indicate this represents the first major deal for the AI Infrastructure Partnership, which was formed last year with backing from Abu Dhabi-based fund MGX and Elon Musk‘s startup xAI.

Arts and EntertainmentEnergy Policy

OpenAI Faces Intimidation Allegations from Small AI Policy Nonprofit Over California AI Safety Law

Encode Justice, a small AI policy nonprofit, publicly alleges OpenAI used intimidation tactics against critics of California’s AI transparency legislation. The organization’s general counsel claims OpenAI targeted them with subpoenas while implying secret funding from Elon Musk.

In a dramatic escalation of tensions within the artificial intelligence policy community, a three-person nonprofit organization that worked on California’s AI safety legislation is publicly accusing OpenAI of employing intimidation tactics against critics. Nathan Calvin, general counsel of Encode Justice, published a viral social media thread detailing what he describes as targeted legal pressure from the AI giant during debates over SB 53, the California Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act.

Allegations of Legal Intimidation Tactics