Meta-Corning deal puts NC at center of AI infrastructure push
North Carolina is poised to play a larger role in the nation’s artificial intelligence buildout, following a new multiyear supply agreement between Meta and Corning, valued at up to $6 billion.
Under the agreement, announced on Tuesday, Corning will supply fiber optic cable for Meta’s expanding network of US data centers, infrastructure that is critical to powering large-scale AI systems. Corning has significant manufacturing operations in North Carolina and already serves as the primary fiber optic supplier for Meta’s data center in Forest City, North Carolina.
Company officials say the deal is expected to boost employment at Corning’s North Carolina facilities, with job growth projected in the range of 15% to 20% as production expands to meet long-term demand.
Why fiber optics matter for AI data centers
While AI investment often focuses on high-powered computer chips, industry experts say the real constraint in modern data centers is moving massive amounts of data quickly and efficiently between thousands of servers.
According to Corning, fiber optic cable, made from ultra-pure specialty glass, transmits data as light rather than electricity. This allows far greater speed, lower energy consumption, and less heat than traditional copper wiring. AI data centers require over 10 times more fiber, compared to traditional data centers. Meta says the North Carolina-made fiber optic cables are critical for products like wearable technology and apps.
“Gen AI requires fiber density and scale on a level that few could have predicted,” explained Mike O’Day, senior vice president and general manager of Corning Optical Communications. “Corning started more than five years ago to solve these scale and density challenges.”
North Carolina’s role in a national buildout
According to the North Carolina Economic Development Partnership, North Carolina’s technology sector continues to expand, with more than 192,000 tech professionals fueling growth across software, life sciences, fintech, defense, and entrepreneurship. The state has been ranked CNBC’s Top State for Business in 2025, and took seventh place in Business Facilities’ ranking of states with AI growth hubs.
Adding to this momentum, in June, Amazon Web Services announced that it plans to invest $10 billion in a new cloud and AI campus in Richmond County. The project will feature multiple data centers supporting cloud services and generative AI applications and is expected to create at least 500 high-paying jobs.
Although Meta’s newest AI-focused data centers are planned for states such as Louisiana and Ohio, the manufacturing backbone that supports those facilities is increasingly rooted in North Carolina. Corning’s in-state operations are expected to supply fiber for both new sites and future expansions.
“The investment will expand our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina, support an increase in Corning’s employment levels in the state by 15 to 20%, and help sustain a highly skilled workforce of more than 5,000, including the scientists, engineers, and production teams at two of the world’s largest optical fiber and cable manufacturing facilities,” said Wendell P. Weeks, chairman and chief executive officer of Corning Incorporated, in a press release. “Together with Meta, we’re strengthening domestic supply chains and helping ensure that advanced data centers are built using US innovation and advanced manufacturing.”
The deal highlights North Carolina’s dual position in the data center economy, hosting major facilities while also manufacturing critical components that support projects nationwide.
Meta has said its US data center network represents billions of dollars in infrastructure investment and supports thousands of jobs across construction, operations, and manufacturing. Company leaders have also emphasized the importance of domestic sourcing as global competition intensifies over AI development.
“Building the most advanced data centers in the US requires world class partners and American manufacturing,” Joel Kaplan, chief global affairs officer for Meta, said in a press release. “We’re proud to partner with Corning, a company with deep expertise in optical connectivity and commitment to domestic manufacturing – for the high-performance fiber optic cables our AI infrastructure needs. This collaboration will help create good-paying, skilled US jobs, strengthen local economies, and help secure the US lead in the global AI race.”
“Meta-Corning deal puts NC at center of AI infrastructure push” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.
