Meta, Corning sign deal worth up to $6 billion for fiber-optic cables in AI data centres

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has entered into a massive multi-year agreement with Corning. Worth up to $6 billion, the deal is to secure the critical fiber-optic cables required to fuel its rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. The deal positions Corning, the manufacturer of Gorilla Glass, as a primary architect of the physical nervous system for Meta’s AI ambitions. According to a report by news agency Reuters, under the terms of the agreement, Corning will supply advanced optical fiber, specialised cabling and high-density connectivity products through 2030. Additionally, as part of the pact, Corning will expand its manufacturing footprint in North Carolina.The expansion is centred at its cable factory in Hickory, where Meta will serve as the “anchor customer.” This move is expected to bolster Corning’s regional workforce of 5,000 by an estimated 15% to 20%. “Together with Meta, we're strengthening domestic supply chains and helping ensure that advanced data centers are built using US innovation,” said Corning CEO Wendell Weeks.While much of the AI hype focuses on chips and software, the physical transmission of data has become a major bottleneck. AI data centers require massive computing power and near-instantaneous data transfer between thousands of interconnected GPUs. Fiber-optic technology is essential for this, as it uses light to transmit data at speeds far exceeding traditional copper wiring.The demand for these components is increasing and has transformed Corning into a Wall Street favourite. Driven by orders from Meta, Microsoft and Google, Corning’s shares surged more than 84% in 2025. Meta recently announced “Meta Compute” initiative, which is nothing but a project designed to oversee the company’s global fleet of data centres and supplier partnerships.Meta has committed to spending $600 billion on US tech infrastructure and jobs over the next three years.