Confusion swirled in Mexico after Nuevo Leon’s governor announced a $1 billion Nvidia project, only for the tech giant to deny any investment plans hours later.
US chipmaker NVIDIA has denied claims that it plans to invest $1 billion in Mexico’s northern state of Nuevo Leon, following a statement by the state’s governor earlier on Wednesday.
Governor Samuel García had recently announced on social media that NVIDIA would build a $1 billion ‘green’ data centre focused on artificial intelligence in the state. He appeared in a video alongside individuals identified as NVIDIA representatives.
However, hours later, the company issued a statement to Reuters rejecting the governor’s comments. NVIDIA stated that it had no financial investment plans in Nuevo Leon and explained that its activities in Latin America were confined to cooperation initiatives, research, and talent development. These are intended to promote digital transformation and technological progress.
By Wednesday evening, García appeared to correct his statement. Local media reported that he clarified the investment would instead come from Mexican firm CIPRE Holding. The project, he said, would use NVIDIA’s technology but would not involve direct funding from the company.
It remains unclear who the NVIDIA representatives in García’s video were or why they did not challenge the governor’s claim during the announcement. NVIDIA has not provided further clarification regarding the incident or the potential future of the proposed data centre.
The Nuevo Leon government has also not commented on the confusion.
