Meta and Microsoft Highlight AI Investments in Growth Strategies

Meta and Microsoft have released their fourth-quarter results and 2026 outlook, emphasizing AI investments as a core component of their growth strategies. According to ChainCatcher, both companies are focusing on AI infrastructure, which could benefit Bitcoin mining firms that have transitioned to AI infrastructure. Meta projects its capital expenditure for 2026 to be between $115 billion and $135 billion, surpassing the market's general expectation of $110 billion. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that the scale of Microsoft's AI business has exceeded some of its core operations. Several mining companies have shifted their data centers to host AI and cloud computing machines. Iren, formerly known as Iris Energy, has signed a multi-year cloud services contract with Microsoft. Cipher Mining has entered into an agreement with Amazon to provide 300 megawatts of power capacity for AWS. Additionally, companies like Hut 8 are accelerating their transformation efforts. As a result of these developments, Iren's stock rose by 4.9% on Wednesday, with a cumulative increase of 47% since 2026. Cipher Mining has seen a 17% rise in its stock value this year.