Large AI Data Center to Be Built on Sharp’s LCD Plant Site

Jiji Press

14:08 JST, June 4, 2024

Osaka, June 3 (Jiji Press) — Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp. said Monday it has agreed to start talks to construct an artificial intelligence data center with telecommunications carrier KDDI Corp. and two other companies.

The firms, also including Tokyo-based system integrator Datasection Inc. and U.S. server maker Super Micro Computer Inc., plan to build one of the largest AI data centers in Asia on the site of Sharp’s large liquid crystal display panel production plant in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, whose operations are set to end by September.

The plant site was chosen chiefly because sufficient electricity and water to cool facilities and equipment are available there.

For the center, KDDI will support network architecture and operations, and Datasection will procure Super Micro’s rack-scale liquid-cooled AI solutions with U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp.’s cutting-edge graphic-processing units.

Datasection said it will set up a joint firm with Sharp and KDDI and seek the center’s early business launch.

Sharp to Halt Operations at LCD TV Plant in Sakai, Osaka Pref.; Production of LCD TV Displays in Japan to Fall to Zero