Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella showcases Fairwater AI data centre for sustainable infrastructure

Key facts

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella presented the Fairwater Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre in Wisconsin as a model for sustainable infrastructure during the Microsoft Build 2026 keynote.
• The Fairwater facility is a 315-acre campus located in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, involving a committed investment of approximately $7.3 billion as of September 2025.
• The data centre utilises a two-storey vertical design to stack Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and computing systems closer together to reduce latency and improve resource efficiency.
• The facility employs a closed-loop cooling system where water is filled once during construction and continuously recycled, resulting in annual water consumption comparable to a local restaurant.
• The Microsoft Azure cloud platform currently operates across more than 500 data centres in over 80 regions worldwide.