Meta confirmed Tuesday it will operate a more than $1 billion facility in east Tulsa known as Project Anthem, marking the company's first such operation in Oklahoma, its 28th in the United States, and its 32nd globally. The announcement ends months of speculation about which tech giant was behind the development, which has faced opposition from residents concerned about electricity costs and environmental impact.
Work began earlier this year on what the company describes as a hyperscale site designed to support artificial intelligence workloads.
Once completed in 2028, the location will employ around 100 full-time workers while creating approximately 1,000 build-out jobs. Officials say it will be self-sustaining and won't pass electricity costs onto local customers.
The Tulsa operation will be matched with 100% clean energy and limit its water usage, addressing some community concerns raised during public meetings. Workforce development programs with Tulsa Tech and Tulsa Community College are also planned.
Opposition to Project Anthem mirrors broader tensions around large-scale developments nationwide. Demonstrators outside Tuesday's announcement voiced worries about electric rate increases, noise pollution, and safety.
"Also, it will support artificial intelligence workload so that we keep part of our deployment strategy for AI,"
a Meta vice president said during the announcement, highlighting how the facility fits into the company's push to catch up with competitors like Google and OpenAI.
The project follows Meta's $10 billion West Texas campus known as Project Seafox, which began construction last November and is scheduled for completion in February 2029. That facility will span 1,000 acres at full build-out with a planned 1-gigawatt capacity dedicated to AI superintelligence development.
Both projects reflect Meta's aggressive infrastructure expansion to support its consolidated AI division, Meta Superintelligence Labs, which launched late last year to close competitive gaps in artificial intelligence capabilities.
