Published Jan 27 2026
The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta has entered a multiyear agreement valued at up to $6 billion to source optical fiber, cable, and connectivity hardware from Corning to support the expansion of its U.S.-based AI data center network. The article noted that Corning plans to expand manufacturing capacity across North Carolina, with Meta serving as an anchor customer, and said the investment is expected to increase Corning’s employment in the state by 15% to 20%. The deal underscores the role of domestically manufactured optical infrastructure in powering next-generation AI systems.