In this regular update, RCR Wireless News highlights the top news and developments impacting the booming AI infrastructure sector.
Alibaba Cloud unveils new AI models
Alibaba Cloud, a unit of Chinese holding Alibaba Group, unveiled new AI models, tools and infrastructure upgrades for its international customers.
“We are launching a series of Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and AI capability updates to meet the growing demand for digital transformation from across the globe. These upgrades allow us to deliver even more secure and high-performance services that empower businesses to scale and innovate in an AI-driven world,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “As cloud and AI become essential for global growth, we are committed to enhancing our core product offerings to address our customers’ evolving needs.”
Alibaba Cloud announced new offerings to international customers by expanding access to its foundational models and upgrading infrastructure products. Available through the company’s availability zones in Singapore, these models include the latest from its proprietary large language model (LLM) series, Qwen, such as the large-scale Mixture of Experts (MoE) model Qwen-Max, the reasoning model QwQ-Plus, the visual reasoning model QVQ-Max and the end-to-end multimodal model Qwen2.5-Omni-7b.
Alongside its AI models, infrastructure and platform upgrades, Alibaba Cloud unveiled a new suite of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) AI products aimed at accelerating digital transformation across industries. Powered by AI, these tools will enable international customers to expand their capabilities in data analytics, automation and content creation.
Microsoft says it’s ‘slowing or pausing’ some AI data center projects
Microsoft said it is “slowing or pausing” some of its data center construction, including a $1 billion project in Ohio.
“In recent years, demand for our cloud and AI services grew more than we could have ever anticipated and to meet this opportunity, we began executing the largest and most ambitious infrastructure scaling project in our history,” said Noelle Walsh, the president of Microsoft’s cloud computing operations.
Walsh noted that “any significant new endeavor at this size and scale requires agility and refinement as we learn and grow with our customers. What this means is that we are slowing or pausing some early-stage projects.”
Analysts with TD Cowen had previously highlighted that Microsoft was also scaling back some of its international data center expansion and canceling some leases in the U.S.
Meta to construct second data center in Ohio
Meta has announced plans for a second data center campus outside Toledo in northern Ohio.
The Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), JobsOhio, and Meta announced this week that the social media company will be building a new “AI-optimized data center” in Northwest Ohio.
The 715,000-square-foot (66,425 sqm) project, known as the Bowling Green Data Center, will be located on a 280-acre site in Middleton Township, Wood County.
Meta will reportedly invest $800 million in the project. This will be the company’s 28th data center worldwide, and the second in Ohio.
Why these announcements matter
Recent moves by Alibaba, Microsoft, and Meta highlight key shifts in the AI and data infrastructure landscape. Alibaba Cloud is expanding globally with new foundational AI models like Qwen-Max and Qwen2.5-Omni-7b, while also rolling out AI-powered SaaS tools to support international digital transformation. At the same time, Microsoft is reassessing its infrastructure expansion, slowing or pausing early-stage data center projects — even a $1B build in Ohio — as it refines plans to meet explosive AI demand.
In contrast, Meta is doubling down on AI infrastructure, announcing an $800 million investment for a second AI-optimized data center in Ohio. These developments reflect a broader trend: while demand for cloud and AI continues to surge, companies are rebalancing their strategies—expanding globally, upgrading infrastructure, and adjusting investments based on scale and operational agility.
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