Google expects the first phase of its 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center in Vizagapatnam to be ready by the end of 2028, with all project stages planned to be completed within the next five years.
Alexander Smith, Head of Global Infrastructure and Energy for the Asia-Pacific region at Google, stated that the company aims to complete the construction of the first phase of its AI hub in Vizagapatnam within the next 24–30 months and begin initial operation of the 1 GW data center shortly thereafter.
In April, the company began construction of its 1 GW AI hub in Vizagapatnam. Google has committed to investing $15 billion in India between 2026 and 2030 to accelerate AI transformation in the country. The announcement regarding the creation of this hub was made by Google last October.
Although the first phase of the data center is expected to be operational by the end of 2028, Smith noted that the company strives to complete and launch all phases within five years. He added that 'the first building constructed is often the most expensive and slowest,' and that the overall completion time will depend on the speed of lessons learned from the first phase, while expressing the company's optimism.
The five-year timeline set by Google for completing the 1 GW AI hub is based on the assumption of no further expansion of this project. In addition to the infrastructure in Vizagapatnam, Google is working on laying new subsea cables to ensure direct and fast connectivity of its AI hub with key markets in Singapore, Australia, West Asia, and Europe, from where the connection will be extended to the United States.
With this hub, Google also intends to provide faster connectivity and reduce latency for a number of its AI applications in India, which is experiencing the fastest growth of most tools and services. In addition to the intercontinental subsea cable connection, Google will also lay high-speed intercity cables to connect the Vizagapatnam hub with other cities.
Alexander Smith explained that Vizagapatnam will become a 'hub and spoke' model, where cables will lead to several major metropolitan areas. The company will build a very dense network of high-capacity fiber-optic lines.
The 1 GW data center will be equipped with an air cooling system and powered by green energy, which will minimize the company's overall carbon footprint. Thus, the total water consumption of the AI hub will be comparable to the water consumption in a corporate office of that size. Smith emphasized that transparency in reporting was ensured by providing independent and scientific reports to the community.
As part of an initiative to support local residents of Vizagapatnam, Google also plans to train 10,000 women from nearby communities in basic IT and AI skills. Smith noted that much of the current work is focused on a detailed assessment of what skills need to be developed long-term among the local population.