Group 1 - An investor group including BlackRock, Nvidia, XAI, and Microsoft has agreed to buy Align data centers for approximately $40 billion, marking the largest data center transaction on record [1] - Aligned operates and has planned capacity of over 5 gigawatts across 50 data centers, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2026 [1] - The current compute buildout is described as being ten times larger than the Manhattan Project, which was a $4 billion government-funded initiative, indicating significant private investment in the sector [1] Group 2 - The ongoing AI super cycle is expected to create substantial investment opportunities, with the NASDAQ up 35% since May 2nd, suggesting a need to adjust investment strategies accordingly [2] - Companies like Nvidia are anticipated to continue compounding growth due to the increasing demand for compute resources, which is seen as critical for economic and national security [2][3] - Microsoft and SoftBank are identified as key players benefiting from the AI race, with potential for significant returns as the compute infrastructure expands [4][5]
Altimeter Capital CEO Brad Gerstner: There's a lot of tailwinds for this economy