Microsoft puts $1B US DC builds on hold amid tariff worries

Here’s a curveball in the AI arms race—Microsoft just slammed the brakes on a $1 billion datacenter expansion in Ohio, pausing projects in New Albany, Heath, and Hebron. Why? Soaring costs from tariffs, shaky AI demand, and infrastructure challenges tied to power-hungry Nvidia chips. But here’s the kicker for the paper packaging industry: fewer datacenters mean slower AI rollout, which delays automation and smart packaging innovations. That pause could ripple into packaging design, logistics, and sustainability modeling—so while the servers sleep, the supply chain waits.https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/09/microsoft_puts_more_datacenter_builds/

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