Firebird.ai launched a $500 million AI data factory in Armenia, backed by NVIDIA, the Armenian government, and major diaspora investors Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan. This project aims to transform Armenia into a South Caucasus tech hub by 2026, using NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPUs and a 100-megawatt infrastructure.
Afeyan, a biotech billionaire and Moderna co-founder, and Vardanyan, a Russian-Armenian oligarch and former Karabakh separatist leader, channel diaspora funds and influence to power Armenia’s AI ambitions. Their efforts also tie to historical disputes with Türkiye through projects like Aurora and 100 LIVES, which seek to reshape narratives on World War I.
The joint Firebird.ai initiative stiffens regional tech competition, challenging Azerbaijan’s energy-driven economy and Türkiye’s regional influence. Türkiye is accelerating AI investments and tech partnerships with Azerbaijan to counterbalance Armenia’s move. 
The project risks fueling geopolitical tensions. Afeyan’s public calls for Vardanyan’s release and appeals to U.S. figures signal political layers beyond tech. Ethical concerns loom after recent AI controversies, underscoring Firebird.ai’s need to clamp down on misinformation, given the sensitive regional history involved.
Türkiye’s response includes ramping up domestic data centers, supporting the T3AI platform, and pushing a $50 million Turkish Large Language Model grant to fortify its AI dominance in the region.
Ruben Vardanyan commented on his detention but no direct quote is currently available from Firebird.ai representatives.
The $500 million Firebird.ai hub is small compared to the U.S.-backed Colossus supercomputer ($8 billion, 150 MW), but it’s a major foothold for Armenia in the global AI race and the South Caucasus tech landscape.
This tech project is as much about AI power as political influence in a fraught region. Watch how Ankara and Baku recalibrate to this new Armenian tech push.
