SpaceX to Invest $74 Billion in Two AI Data Centers in Arizona and Texas
SpaceX plans two supercomputing campuses for artificial intelligence: one worth $50 billion in Arizona and another worth up to $24 billion in Starbase. Local opposition will be decided on December 9.
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SpaceX will invest over $74 billion in two massive supercomputing centers for artificial intelligence in the United States: one worth around $50 billion in Arizona and another worth up to $24 billion in Texas, next to its Starbase rocket base. This is one of the largest investments in AI infrastructure announced this year.
The two projects
| Arizona | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | ~$50 billion | up to ~$24 billion |
| Location | Cochise County, near Willcox Playa (about 80 miles east of Tucson) | Starbase, near the Port of Brownsville |
| Land | ~747 acres (around 300 hectares) | ~444 acres (around 180 hectares) |
| Expected employment | ~5,500 in construction and ~1,000 permanent | — |
| Energy | To be confirmed | Own natural gas power plant |
Why does SpaceX need so much computing power?
SpaceX has an artificial intelligence division and these centers would serve to train and run AI models, a race in which OpenAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and other big tech companies compete. AI data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, which is why large plots of land and own energy sources are being sought.
Not everything is done: local opposition
- On December 9, 2026, there are two key votes: the Starbase commission will decide on a tax cut for the Texas project, and Cochise County will vote on the land rezoning of Arizona.
- There are neighbors and environmental groups against it due to water and energy consumption.
- The next governor of Texas campaigned promising a moratorium on data centers in the state.
Context
The investment comes in a busy week for the sector: Nvidia, the company that manufactures most AI chips, has changed its CEO, and several organizations have sued the major AI labs to slow down their most powerful models. The figures for AI data centers continue to grow: they are already measured in tens of billions of dollars per project.
Frequently asked questions
How much will SpaceX invest in AI data centers? Over $74 billion: around $50 billion in Arizona and up to $24 billion in Texas.
Where will they be built? In Cochise County (Arizona) and Starbase (Texas).
When will it be decided if they go ahead? The key local votes are on December 9, 2026.
Sources: Bloomberg, Quartz, UPI, and The Next Web.
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