Microsoft breaks ground on San Jose data center campus to support AI demand

Microsoft broke ground Wednesday on a 48-megawatt data center campus in San Jose's Alviso neighborhood. City leaders say it will support growing demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The project will be the company's first purpose-built, company-owned and operated data center in San Jose, according to Jonathan Noble, Microsoft's senior director of government affairs. John Kane, senior vice president at the HITT Contracting firm working on the project, said the facility will employ more than 600 workers at peak construction. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the data center will support more than 100 ongoing jobs once operational. Mahan described data centers as critical infrastructure needed to support modern services, including healthcare, transportation and artificial intelligence. You need this backbone of infrastructure to power the modern world, Mahan said. Noble said the facility will support digital systems people rely on every day, including online transactions, hospitals, medical records, and 911 systems. City officials said the project will use 100 percent recycled water for cooling and renewable energy, and will be able to supply power back to the electrical grid during periods of high demand. Kane said construction is expected to be completed in about 18 months.