Microsoft snaps up Texas data center that Oracle and OpenAI left behind

THE DECODER / 3/25/2026

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Key Points

  • Microsoft has agreed to lease a data center in Abilene, Texas that was originally built for Oracle and OpenAI.
  • The move highlights how AI and cloud infrastructure demand is reshaping the availability and ownership/usage of large regional data center capacity.
  • The article frames the acquisition as Microsoft “snapping up” infrastructure left behind by other major AI/cloud players, suggesting ongoing competition for capacity.
  • The leasing agreement underscores that scaling AI workloads often depends on securing physical data center sites, not just software platforms.

Digital map of the USA

Microsoft has agreed to lease a data center in Abilene, Texas, that was originally built for Oracle and OpenAI, Bloomberg News reports.

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