The two companies are pursuing separate but parallel paths to power the next generation of AI computing infrastructure.
On May 12, 2026, 3M announced it had joined a Multi-Source Agreement coalition focused on Expanded Beam Optical, or EBO, connectivity for AI data centers. This is about making sure the fiber optic connections inside massive data centers are reliable, fast, and standardized so that equipment from different manufacturers can actually work together.
The coalition includes AMD, Arista Networks, Cisco, Meta, Molex, and Oracle. The goal is to create open standards for EBO technology, which is designed to improve performance and make maintenance easier in the demanding environments that AI workloads create.
Microsoft signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Chevron for up to 2.67 GW of energy dedicated to AI data center operations in West Texas. To put that number in perspective, 2.67 gigawatts is enough electricity to power roughly two million homes.
The West Texas location offers abundant land, favorable energy economics, and proximity to both natural gas resources and growing renewable energy capacity.
There has been no confirmed bilateral partnership between 3M and Microsoft regarding AI infrastructure as of July 2026. Their efforts are running on parallel tracks rather than a single shared roadmap.
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