Nvidia Proposes Converting Brightspeed Telco Buildings Into AI Data Centers

Nvidia is in talks with telecommunications provider Brightspeed to convert more than 130 existing telco buildings into small-scale data centers. The AI technology company pitched the proposal to Apollo Global Management, the parent company of Brightspeed, and has since requested site visits and infrastructure data to evaluate the properties.

Nvidia estimates these sites could collectively provide approximately 1 gigawatt of compute capacity, which could accommodate over 2,200 Supermicro Vera Rubin NVL72 racks. While the buildings already possess the required power infrastructure, Nvidia must still install cooling systems and secure local permits to make the sites operational.

The strategy aims to establish an inference network to support AI models and agents. By utilizing existing structures, Nvidia intends to bypass the significant red tape and community opposition that have led to a wave of data center bans across the United States, which currently hinder the development of large-scale facilities.