Australia Launches First Secure AI Factory

Cisco and Sharon AI launched Australia’s first Secure AI Factory on Feb. 23, 2026, in Sydney ^[1]. This facility uses 1,024 NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs to provide sovereign computing power for scientific research ^[1][2]. The infrastructure ensures all data processing remains within Australian borders to maintain national data security ^[1][3]. The project supports the National AI Plan by helping enterprises and government agencies adopt AI safely ^[2][3]. Researchers can use the factory’s high-performance compute clusters and sandbox environments to test new models ^[2]. This allows local organizations to innovate without relying on international data centers ^[1][3]. Built with Cisco UCS servers and VAST Data storage, the factory is hosted in NEXTDC data centers ^[1][3]. James Manning, CEO of Sharon AI, stated the deployment aims to accelerate AI adoption across the Asia-Pacific region ^[2]. Further expansions are expected throughout 2026 to strengthen Australia’s sovereign technological capabilities ^[2].