NEW YORK, Jan 13, 2026, 09:36 EST — Regular session
Meta Platforms shares slipped 1.7% to roughly $642 in early New York trading Tuesday following CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement of a new “Meta Compute” initiative aimed at expanding the company’s AI infrastructure. The wider market held firm, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices edging up slightly.
The announcement comes as investors remain wary of hefty, long-term spending, even among mega-cap tech giants. Meta’s strategy hinges on scale — ramping up chips, data centers, and power — yet the market is still grappling with the timing and size of expected returns. 1
Meta is shaking up its leadership as it ramps up efforts in Washington and plans long-term investments in data centers and energy. On Monday, the company appointed Dina Powell McCormick—ex-Goldman Sachs exec and former Trump administration official—as president and vice chairman. Meta said she’ll focus on expanding data centers and forging strategic partnerships. 2
Zuckerberg announced that the “Meta Compute” initiative will be co-led by infrastructure chief Santosh Janardhan and Daniel Gross, who will oversee strategic capacity planning and partnerships. He noted on Threads that “Meta is planning to build tens of gigawatts this decade, and hundreds of gigawatts or more over time,” highlighting the massive power demand that could raise concerns in local communities. 3
Meta isn’t the only one zeroing in on power and water. On Tuesday, Microsoft unveiled a community-focused data center plan that promises better utility pricing and regional U.S. water-use transparency—highlighting just how closely these issues are being watched. 4
A recent securities filing dropped a familiar detail for traders. On Monday, Meta executive Javier Olivan filed a Form 144 revealing plans to sell up to 517 Class A shares. The sale is set to happen under a Rule 10b5-1 plan — a prearranged strategy designed to sidestep trading on inside information. 5
Still, execution and the bill pose the greater risks. Massive infrastructure projects often hit snags—power issues, permits, supply chain hiccups, and political hurdles. Margins could come under strain if ad growth falters or if AI products take longer to bring in revenue than investors anticipate.
Europe’s regulators are shaking things up again. Meta will carve out Italy from its upcoming ban on rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp, following a directive from Italy’s antitrust watchdog, a notice seen by Reuters reveals. The new WhatsApp terms, reflecting this carve-out, will kick in on Jan. 15. Marvin von Hagen, CEO of rival AI firm Poke.com, slammed the move, saying, “Meta should have suspended the policy worldwide, not just in Italy.” 6
