Meta to Pay Corning Up to $6 Billion for Fiber-Optic Cables

• The deal with Corning, maker of Gorilla Glass, is worth up to $6 billion for fiber-optic cable supply
• Meta announced its 'Meta Compute' initiative earlier in January to expand AI infrastructure and oversee global data center fleet and supplier partnerships
• The investment is part of Meta's aggressive spending on data center infrastructure to compete in the AI technology race

Summary: Meta to Pay Corning Up to $6 Billion for Fiber-Optic Cables

Meta Platforms (META.O) has signed a deal worth up to $6 billion with Corning, the maker of Gorilla Glass, to supply fiber-optic cables for its AI data centers, according to a CNBC report on January 27, 2026.

Key Details:

• Deal Value: Up to $6 billion
• Companies Involved: Meta Platforms and Corning
• Purpose: Fiber-optic cables for AI data center infrastructure

Strategic Context:

Meta continues its aggressive spending strategy on data center infrastructure as it competes in the artificial intelligence race. The deal aligns with the company's "Meta Compute" initiative, announced earlier in January 2026, which aims to expand AI infrastructure and manage its global data center network and supplier partnerships.

Market Implications:

This substantial multi-billion dollar commitment underscores the significant capital investments required by Big Tech companies to maintain competitiveness in AI development. The deal benefits Corning with a major long-term revenue stream and highlights the critical role of physical infrastructure—specifically high-speed fiber-optic connectivity—in supporting AI workloads.

The announcement comes amid heightened focus on AI infrastructure spending across the technology sector, with companies racing to build capacity for training and deploying large language models and other AI applications. Meta's commitment demonstrates its determination to remain a leading player in the AI space despite intense competition from rivals.

For investors, this signals continued heavy capital expenditure from Meta in the near term, while positioning the company for long-term AI capabilities. Corning stands to gain significant revenue visibility through this partnership.