Brookfield Asset Management has acquired cloud-computing startup Ori Industries, doubling down on its push into AI-driven infrastructure as global demand for advanced chips and computing capacity surges.
The acquisition folds Ori into Radiant, a newly established AI infrastructure platform created by Brookfield to provide on-demand access to high-performance GPUs. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Betting Big on “GPU-as-a-Service”
While many infrastructure investors have hesitated to take large positions in GPU-as-a-service models — citing concerns around chip depreciation and rapid technological obsolescence — Brookfield is leaning in. The firm is structuring long-term, lease-style contracts designed to lock in predictable revenue over an estimated five-year chip lifecycle.
“I think of it as a leasing business,” said Sikander Rashid, Brookfield’s Head of AI Infrastructure. “We will not be taking any technology risk in this business.”
Radiant’s contracts are expected to be secured with investment-grade customers, who will remain obligated to pay even if their demand for chips declines. The model aims to provide stability in a sector often characterized by volatility.
Powering Sovereign AI Infrastructure
Radiant will target governments and enterprises seeking to build sovereign cloud environments — highly controlled computing systems where data remains within national borders. This approach aligns with increasing regulatory requirements and geopolitical sensitivities surrounding AI infrastructure.
Brookfield plans to bundle GPU access with data-centre capacity and power contracts, offering a vertically integrated solution spanning hardware, energy, and real estate.
A $7 Trillion AI Opportunity
Brookfield estimates that artificial intelligence will require approximately $7 trillion in capital investment globally, with $3 trillion directed toward computing infrastructure alone.
Radiant represents one of the first deployments from Brookfield’s multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure fund, which is targeting $10 billion in investor commitments. With leverage and co-investments, the broader AI initiative could scale to as much as $100 billion.
The strategy positions Brookfield alongside global asset management giants such as Blackstone and BlackRock in financing the power, hardware, and real estate backbone of the AI economy.
Strategic Partnerships and Middle East Expansion
Brookfield has already invested heavily in data-centre operators and power utilities benefiting from rising AI-driven energy demand. Its AI fund is committing up to $5 billion into Bloom Energy to deploy fuel cell systems at data centres.
The asset manager also maintains multiple strategic ties with Nvidia, which contributed to the initial $5 billion equity raise for the AI fund and will serve as a chip supplier to Radiant — including access to its upcoming Rubin architecture designed for next-generation agentic AI systems.
Although Radiant’s initial focus will be Europe, expansion plans include the Middle East, where Brookfield is developing a data-centre campus in Qatar in partnership with a subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority. Investors in Ori, including Wa’ed Ventures, are expected to retain stakes in Radiant.
Ori founder Mahdi Yahya will assume the role of President at Radiant.
As capital flows into AI infrastructure at unprecedented scale, Brookfield’s move signals a growing shift: institutional investors are no longer just backing startups — they are building the foundational rails of the AI economy itself.
