FAQ: Applied Digital's $5B AI Infrastructure Expansion and North Dakota Data Center

What is Applied Digital Corporation’s main expansion announcement?

Applied Digital is launching an aggressive AI infrastructure expansion including a $3 billion, 280-megawatt data center called ‘Polaris Forge 2’ in North Dakota, supported by $5 billion in equity financing and other strategic funding to accelerate national AI infrastructure buildout.

Where is the new data center being built and when will it be operational?

The Polaris Forge 2 data center is being constructed in Harwood, North Dakota and is slated to begin operations in 2026, making it the company’s second large-scale ‘AI factory’ in the state.

What makes this data center unique and sustainable?

The facility incorporates waterless cooling systems, renewable-energy integration, and is optimized for GPU computing, making it specifically designed for sustainable, liquid-cooled data centers capable of handling next-generation AI workloads.

How is Applied Digital financing this expansion?

The company secured a $5 billion equity facility with Macquarie Asset Management, along with $160 million in strategic financing, to fund its high-performance computing expansion and strengthen liquidity across upcoming buildouts.

What are the economic benefits and job creation from this project?

The Polaris Forge 2 data center will create more than 200 permanent jobs while also creating economic opportunities in underserved communities through Applied Digital’s award-winning Polaris Forge AI Factory model.

What is Applied Digital’s expertise and track record in data centers?

Applied Digital designs, builds and operates high-performance, sustainably engineered data centers and was named Best Data Center in the Americas 2025 by Datacloud. The company combines hyperscale expertise with proprietary waterless cooling and rapid deployment capabilities.

Who is reporting on this expansion and where can I find more details?

According to Alicia Shapiro, head of news reporting at AiNews.com, Applied Digital has broken ground on this project. More information can be found at InvestorWire and the company’s website at www.applieddigital.com.

What types of computing workloads are these data centers designed for?

Applied Digital’s data centers are specifically designed for artificial intelligence, cloud, networking, and blockchain workloads, with the new facilities being GPU-optimized for next-generation AI workloads and high-performance computing.