KKR Raises $10 Billion to Build AI Infrastructure Company Led by Former AWS Chief
KKR has secured more than $10 billion to launch Helix Digital Infrastructure, a new company focused on building data centers, power generation, and connectivity for AI workloads. Former Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky will lead the venture. The move reflects a broader race among private equity firms and technology companies to build the physical infrastructure that AI systems require.
KKR has secured more than $10 billion in commitments to launch Helix Digital Infrastructure, a new company that will design, build, and operate specialized infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
Former Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky will lead Helix. The company plans to build data centers, power generation facilities, transmission lines, and connectivity networks, working directly with large cloud providers to address bottlenecks that are slowing AI development.
The announcement came on May 1, 2026, as several major technology companies reported strong earnings driven by AI demand.
Nvidia secured $23 million in incentives from Irving, Texas, for a new supercomputing hub, reflecting competition among cities to attract AI infrastructure investment.
Microsoft reported 40% growth in its Azure cloud business but saw its shares fall after capital expenditures surged 49% to $31.9 billion. Investors are pressing the company to show that its AI spending will translate into durable profits.
Amazon's AWS division grew 28% to $37.6 billion, its fastest pace in nearly four years. The company attributed the growth to demand for its Trainium AI chips and enterprise AI workloads.
SanDisk reported quarterly revenue of $5.95 billion, beating expectations, and announced $42 billion in long-term supply contracts. The results showed that AI infrastructure demand extends beyond graphics processors to storage and memory.
Qualcomm said it will ship a custom data center processor to a major cloud provider later in 2026, marking its entry into a market long dominated by Nvidia.
The MIT Technology Review named hyperscale AI data centers one of the 10 breakthrough technologies of 2026, describing them as giant, high-speed supercomputers that are pushing power and infrastructure to their limits.
Private equity investment in AI infrastructure has accelerated sharply in 2026, with firms betting that demand for compute capacity will remain strong for years.
