Meta Platforms is undertaking a decisive change in its AI infrastructure strategy, announcing the sale of $2.04 billion in data center assets to external partners, while scaling back some internal builds. This initiative, announced in early August 2025, reflects a shift toward co-development models designed to ease the burden of soaring infrastructure costs, while enabling faster AI expansion.
Co‑Development Over Solo Expansion
Meta has reclassified these assets as “held-for-sale,” with plans to transfer them within 12 months. At the same time, the company raised its 2025 capital expenditure forecast to $66–72 billion, largely to fund massive AI “superclusters”, facilities comparable in scale to small city districts, despite the divestment move.
This pivot is grounded in the global reality of AI infrastructure cost pressures and energy constraints, particularly acute in regions like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where power grid delays can stretch years.
Meta AI’s MENA Rollout: Widening Access
Meta launched Meta AI, powered by its Llama 3.2 model, across key Arab countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, and Jordan—with full support in Arabic, democratizing access to AI through WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The AI assistant can be invoked in group chats via “@Meta AI” without additional apps or registration, opening up everyday use for millions.
Regional AI Ambitions Accelerate
The Arab world is rapidly embracing AI transformation. The MENA AI market is projected to grow nearly 45% annually, reaching over US $320 billion by 2030, and contributing up to 13.6% of the UAE’s GDP National infrastructure projects involving giants like NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm, and AWS, such as Saudi Arabia’s Humain venture and the UAE’s G42-led developments, are positioning the region among the top global AI hubs.
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What It Means for Arab Markets
Meta’s partnership‑first infrastructure shift creates openings for regional data center firms, especially in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to host and support AI development. Countries like those in the Gulf are already investing billions into AI zones, potentially absorbing Meta’s co‑development needs.
Meta AI’s Arabic rollout further empowers local creators, SMEs, and governments. Regional campaigns like “Elevating Every Moment” showcase how Arabic prompt engineering and image‑generation tools are transforming creativity and engagement across the region.
A New Operating Model Emerges
Meta’s decision to offload infrastructure assets signals an evolving business model, one moving away from solo build‑and‑hold toward collaborative scaling. For the Arab world, this means potential momentous growth in AI infrastructure, increased local participation, and deeper integration of AI tools.
In a climate where infrastructure costs and energy constraints challenge traditional expansion, Meta’s recalibrated strategy aligns with regional ambitions, fueling innovation and regional tech sovereignty.
