xAI, the American artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, is locating a data center in Southaven. The project will represent a corporate investment exceeding $20 billion and will create hundreds of permanent jobs throughout DeSoto County. A formal announcement was made in Southaven on January 8.
xAI has purchased and is retrofitting a building to house the new data center operations. The data center, which will be known as MACROHARDRR, is in proximity to xAI’s newly acquired power plant site in Southaven and one of the company’s existing data centers in Tennessee. Upon completion, the Southaven data center will increase the company’s computing power to nearly 2 gigawatts.
“Starting off 2026 with a $20 billion investment by xAI is a clear sign Mississippi is not letting up on the economic momentum we have built over the last few years,” said Mississippi Development Authority Executive Bill Cork. “Our focus on speed, certainty and readiness allows companies to move quickly and with confidence, while also enabling Mississippi to compete for capital-intensive, advanced technology projects like xAI. These investments bring new, high-quality jobs to the people of Mississippi and place our state at the center of the ‘Digital Delta.’ We are proud to partner with the xAI team as we continue building the future of tech innovation right here in Mississippi.”