Jabil, an electronics manufacturing company based in St. Petersburg, announced Tuesday that it will invest $500 million over the next several years to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence data center infrastructure.
The company plans to build the new facility in the Southeast United States and is in the final stages of site selection. The move would allow Jabil to expand as use of AI and cloud-based programs become more mainstream across America, according to a news release.
“To secure America’s future in artificial intelligence, it’s crucial that we build the hardware that powers AI innovation right here at home, said Matt Crowley, Jabil executive vice president for global business, in a statement. ”Domestic manufacturing isn’t just an economic priority; it’s a matter of national security.”
These comments echo similar concerns from the Trump administration, which is pushing for more domestic manufacturing of technology and AI products as a way to revive the American manufacturing industry and strengthen national defense.
Jabil manages 30 data center sites across the country. The company is known for its experience and investment in automation, robotics and process optimization.
The investment in more data center infrastructure comes after Jabil recently acquired the New Hampshire-based MikrosTechnologies, a company that specializes in liquid cooling and thermal management solutions. MikrosTechnologies already works with AI data center infrastructure.
The company plans to have the new site open by mid 2026.
