Microsoft cancels AI partnership with UK data center firm Nscale, putting pressure on the latter's listing plans.

October 18: Microsoft has canceled its cooperation agreement with UK data center company Nscale for the Loughton data center in Essex. The company was originally slated to be the anchor tenant for the facility, with plans to lease approximately 23,000 Nvidia AI chips. The project was part of Microsoft's pledge last year to invest £22 billion in the UK.

Nscale is advancing a US stock market listing plan with a valuation of up to approximately $35 billion, and Microsoft's exit is seen as a major blow to the company. The project also faces the issue of grid power supply being delayed until the 2030s. Nscale previously said that more than 40% of its $103 billion in contracted revenue comes from Microsoft, but the UK deal is believed to account for a relatively small share, with another major customer being Anthropic.