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Big Tech’s hidden AI debts hit $1.65 trillion
A Nikkei study says off-balance-sheet obligations at five U.S. tech giants reached $1.65 trillion as AI spending surged.
Image: Hacker News
Off-balance-sheet obligations at five U.S. tech giants have climbed to an estimated $1.65 trillion, rising eightfold in roughly four years as spending on artificial intelligence accelerates, according to a Nikkei study.
The report says these hidden liabilities now exceed actual debt, making it harder for investors to judge financial risk. Nikkei points to data center leases and GPU supply contracts as major sources of the increase, with Meta and Oracle among the companies affected.
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In Meta’s case, the company’s off-balance-sheet debt is about $420 billion, nearly triple its disclosed debt, according to the study.
The findings were published on July 21, 2026, in a report from Palo Alto, California.
Enterprise Editor
Marcus follows the money. He covers enterprise software, cloud architecture, and the tectonic shifts in Big Tech strategy. He translates dense earnings calls and complex M&A activity into actionable insights about where the industry is actually heading. If a tech giant makes a silent pivot, Marcus is usually the first to notice.
via Hacker News
