Artificial intelligence is becoming as much a financing challenge as a technology challenge. The biggest AI developers are racing to deploy gigawatts of computing capacity, but the chips, networking equipment, and data centers required to support that expansion cost tens of billions of dollars. That is creating an opening for companies that can do more than manufacture the hardware.
Broadcom (AVGO) appears to be exploiting that opening. It is reportedly negotiating a financing package that could exceed $60 billion in senior debt and approach $100 billion when a potential $30 billion junior tranche is included. Apollo Global Management (APO) and Blackstone (BX) are considering participation.