Meta Deploys Tent-Based Data Centers to Accelerate AI Infrastructure Buildout
June 10, 2026
Meta Deploys Tent-Based Data Centers to Accelerate AI Infrastructure Buildout
As the race to dominate artificial intelligence intensifies, major technology companies are rethinking traditional data center construction timelines. Facing delays in power procurement and permitting, firms like Meta and Google are turning to unconventional, temporary structures to house advanced AI hardware. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has begun installing tent-like facilities at its data center site in New Albany, Ohio, marking a significant shift in how quickly AI infrastructure can be deployed.
According to market research firm CleanView Energy, Meta recently set up six rapid deployment structures at the Ohio site. Each structure, measuring 11,600 square meters—roughly the size of 1.6 soccer fields—is equipped with waterproof and windproof capabilities. Inside, they house tens of thousands of high-end AI graphics processing units, each costing approximately $60,000, along with necessary cooling systems. Visually resembling large greenhouses or poultry farms, these tents are part of Meta’s massive "Prometheus" AI data center project, which has a total capacity of 1 gigawatt and is scheduled to begin operations this year.
While the first five permanent buildings of the Prometheus project took roughly three years to complete, the tent-type data centers were initiated in April of this year and had nearly finished installation by early June. These temporary facilities draw power from a nearby mobile gas turbine with a capacity of 200 megawatts. The expedited timeline highlights the urgency behind Meta’s strategy to bypass traditional construction bottlenecks and bring AI computing capacity online faster.
The move underscores a broader trend in the industry. According to investment bank JP Morgan, more than 60% of U.S. data center projects announced with a target completion date of 2027 have yet to break ground, and 7% are already facing delays. Key obstacles include power grid constraints, lengthy and complex permitting processes, and supply chain disruptions for critical equipment such as transformers. By deploying tent-based solutions, Meta is signaling that the competition to build AI infrastructure has entered a full-scale speed war, where time to market is as critical as scale and performance.
Source: chosun
