KDDI to build AI data center on Sharp's LCD plant site

Sharp has announced an agreement with mobile phone carrier KDDI to build an artificial intelligence center on the site of the electronics maker's halted liquid crystal display panel plant in the city of Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. According to the Monday announcement, KDDI will start construction of the data center within fiscal 2024, which ends next March, after acquiring the land, buildings and electrical facilities for the plant. KDDI aims to fully launch its operations in fiscal 2025. Sharp said in June that it had started talks on building an AI data center with KDDI and Tokyo-based system integrator Datasection. They initially planned to procure equipment including AI servers from California-based Super Micro Computer.