Google and Blackstone pledge $5bn for 500MW TPU data centre build-out
GOOG•Google and Blackstone launched a US joint venture with $5bn equity to build 500MW of TPU-powered data centre capacity by 2027, valuing the CaaS platform at about $25bn. Separately, a Google engineer was arrested for commodities fraud after earning $1.2m profit on Polymarket using insider data.
1. Joint Venture Launch
On May 18, Google and Blackstone announced a US-based joint venture to deliver TPU-powered compute-as-a-service, with Blackstone committing $5bn in equity to build approximately 500MW of data centre capacity by 2027. Blackstone will hold a majority stake in a venture valued around $25bn, led by Google infrastructure executive Benjamin Treynor Sloss, offering on-demand AI compute with data residency options.
2. Engineer Arrest
A Google engineer was arrested on charges of commodities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering after using an internal search-tracking tool to place $3.8m in USDC bets on Polymarket, netting $1.2m profit. He laundered proceeds via swap services and privacy tools, highlighting regulatory and reputational risks for the company.
