Meta has constructed its data centers inside large tents in Ohio, USA, as part of its ‘Rapid Deployment Structure’ initiative aimed at enhancing AI capabilities. The plan involves installing AI chips valued at billions of dollars within five tents, each spanning 125,000 square feet, with the goal of halving construction time. Meta’s expansive investment in this data center project, with expenditures expected to reach up to $14.5 billion, has coincided with a 5% decline in the company’s share price this year.
To meet the rising demand for artificial intelligence, Meta has adopted an unconventional strategy by building data centers inside large tents located in New Albany, Ohio. This approach, termed by Meta as the ‘Rapid Deployment Structure,’ was revealed by Michael Thomas, founder of Cleanview, who closely monitors data center construction.
This strategy aligns with practices seen in companies like Tesla and xAI. The primary objective is to reduce construction time by half. According to local permits studied by Thomas, Meta began erecting the five large tents between April and June. Each tent covers an area of 125,000 square feet.
Satellite imagery shows the completion of these structures. Previously, in 2025, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had disclosed plans to utilize weather-resistant tents to house multi-gigawatt data centers. The site is powered by modular gas turbines with a capacity of 200 megawatts, a technology also employed by Elon Musk’s xAI company.
Within these tents, AI chips worth billions of dollars will be housed. Although Meta has already developed its new AI model, ‘Muse Spark,’ its availability for developers has been delayed, making this physical infrastructure crucial. Meta plans to invest up to $14.5 billion in data center and other capital expenditures. Investors have shown limited enthusiasm for Meta’s large spending initiatives, contributing to the 5% drop in the company’s share price this year. Opting for tent-based data centers instead of permanent buildings is viewed as a cost-cutting and faster deployment measure by Meta.
