Meta Secures 1.6 GW AI Capacity While UAE Bans Under-15 Social Media Use
META•Meta locks in 1.6 GW of AI compute capacity from Crusoe sites in Texas and Missouri as part of its $600 billion U.S. AI capex plan through 2028; UAE will ban under-15 users, impose digital-ID verification and bar child data for ads on social platforms including Meta.
1. AI Infrastructure Expansion
Meta has contracted with Crusoe Energy to secure roughly 1.6 GW of computing capacity at data centers in Childress, Texas, and Warrenton, Missouri. This deal bolsters Meta’s AI buildout alongside its Hyperion data center in Louisiana, which is designed for 2 GW and scalable to 5 GW, fitting within its $600 billion U.S. AI capital expenditure plan through 2028.
2. UAE’s New Child Safety Regulations
The UAE will prohibit children under 15 from using social media accounts on platforms including Meta, requiring platforms to implement digital-ID checks, AI-based age verification, parental controls, screen-time limits and to stop using data from under-15 users for targeted advertising. Platforms have 12 months to comply, raising questions about potential impacts on Meta’s regional user metrics and advertising revenues.
