NVIDIA announced on September 9 that it is working with eight Australian infrastructure companies on a large AI computing buildout. The goal is up to two gigawatts of capacity by 2027.
The partners are Firmus, Sharon AI, IREN, Megaport, ResetData, CDC, NEXTDC, and AirTrunk. Each company will play a different role in the project.
NVIDIA will supply computing systems, networking equipment, software, and technical support. The Australian companies will build and operate the physical facilities.
Partners Detail Their Roles
Sharon AI plans to deploy up to 68,000 NVIDIA GPUs. The company will use NVIDIA Quantum InfiniBand and Spectrum-X networking to connect the systems.
IREN is contributing its planned Bundey campus in South Australia, designed for 800 megawatts of capacity. IREN built its business on Bitcoin mining before expanding into AI cloud services.
CDC says it already operates more than 550 megawatts across Australia and New Zealand, with another 800 megawatts under construction. The company states its sites run on renewable electricity and use zero-water cooling systems.
NEXTDC is developing liquid-cooled, high-density infrastructure for AI factories. The company is also raising A$1.1 billion through convertible notes to fund its wider AI infrastructure plans, according to Reuters.
Megaport is expanding computing access through its subsidiary Latitude.sh. AirTrunk is building AI-ready facilities with direct-to-chip liquid cooling. Firmus is growing its Project Southgate initiative across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Crypto Mining Meets AI Computing
IREN's shift from Bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure reflects a pattern seen across the industry. Both businesses depend on large power supplies, cooling systems, and land.
Australia's current data center capacity is around 1.6 gigawatts, based on figures from Data Centres Australia and DC Byte cited by Reuters. The proposed two-gigawatt buildout would surpass that existing total.
NVIDIA's system for this project is called DSX. It is a full-stack platform covering facility design, computing, networking, and software, and it works with NVIDIA's CUDA ecosystem.
The expanded capacity is expected to give Australian companies more access to NVIDIA's Nemotron open models. Heidi, a healthcare technology firm, is using Nemotron for clinical tools, while Atlassian is applying NVIDIA technology to its Rovo search platform.
NVIDIA did not disclose the total cost of the buildout. The company also did not say how much of the planned capacity already has financing, permits, or grid connections secured.
Power access will likely shape how much of this project gets built. High-density GPU clusters require more electricity and cooling than standard data centers.
NVIDIA said the expansion could support new power-generation projects but did not name specific energy sources or contracts. Local authorities will need to review grid connections and construction approvals for each site.
The next steps include site approvals, power agreements, and GPU delivery schedules. NVIDIA and its partners have not released a joint timeline for these milestones.
NEXTDC's A$1.1 billion capital raise is the most recent financial development tied to this expansion. The funds are intended to support the company's broader AI infrastructure growth across the region.
