Anthropic to build $31bn datacentre in western Queensland, David Crisafulli says
Premier describes deal as ‘major win’ that will deliver more jobs for the state and put more energy into its grid Anthropic, the AI giant behind the large language model Claude, has done a deal to lease the site of its first Australian datacentre in western Queensland. The state premier, David Crisafulli, announced the decision in parliament on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Premier David Crisafulli announced a major deal with AI giant Anthropic to build a $31.9 billion datacentre in western Queensland. The Western Downs digital park will be constructed by Singapore-based Zerra DC near Dalby, and will be powered by the Braemar power station. Crisafulli praised the investment as a significant endorsement of Queensland, highlighting the state's energy security and streamlined approval process.
The announcement came amid a dispute with the Commonwealth over AI centres using renewable energy, with Queensland opting to use coal generators instead. Crisafulli emphasized that the datacentre must boost energy generation, lower power prices, protect water supplies, and involve local communities. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei later called for a slowdown in AI development due to growing concerns.
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- Anthropic lands deal in $31bn datacentre in western Queensland theguardian.com
