Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on May 27, 2026, that entering the cloud computing market is "definitely on the table" if Meta overspends on data centers and ends up with excess compute capacity [1, 2].
Zuckerberg’s comments came as Meta outlined its 2026 plans for AI-related capital expenditures, forecasting spending of between $125 billion and $145 billion. This heavy investment could lead to surplus data center resources that Meta could leverage to offer cloud services [1].
The move would mark a potential shift for Meta, which has primarily focused on social networking, virtual reality, and AI development. Expanding into cloud computing could allow the company to monetize its growing infrastructure and compete with established cloud providers.
Currently, Meta operates extensive data centers to support its AI research and social platforms. Zuckerberg indicated that if the infrastructure expansion leads to underused compute power, the company could offer this capacity commercially in the form of cloud computing services.
No specific timeline or details were provided on when or how Meta might launch a cloud business. For now, Zuckerberg emphasized that entering the market remains a possibility contingent on future capital spending effects.
Meta’s annual shareholder meeting on May 27 marked the first public discussion of the company’s potential cloud ambitions. Zuckerberg’s openness to leveraging excess compute capacity signals an exploratory approach rather than a firm commitment.
Meta is expected to continue expanding its data center footprint through 2026 as it develops AI technologies. Any decision to enter cloud computing will likely depend on how that infrastructure scales and whether excess capacity becomes available.
