What just happened? Despite facing significant threats in recent years, undersea cables remain the backbone of the modern internet. Now, Meta plans to further expand and strengthen this critical infrastructure. Project Waterworth aims to launch the world's largest subsea cable system, utilizing the highest-capacity technology available today. A few months ago, rumors surfaced about Meta's plans to lay a new global network of undersea cables. Now, the company has officially unveiled Project Waterworth, an ambitious and potentially risky infrastructure initiative that will span over 50,000 kilometers and reach five continents.The new system is designed to enhance connectivity to the US, India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions for undersea infrastructure. Meta has committed an undisclosed amount of funding to bolster the reliability of existing undersea systems and to open three new oceanic corridors simultaneously.Meta also highlighted its ongoing infrastructure innovations, citing more than 20 subsea cables deployed through various partnerships over the past decade. The company has installed cables with 24 optical fiber pairs, compared to the typical eight to 16 pairs used in conventional undersea cables.Meta has announced that Project Waterworth will use the same 24-fiber pair cable technology deployed in previous systems. The plan also includes several technological innovations, such as a new routing solution designed to lay cables at depths of up to 7,000 meters below sea level. To protect the cables in high-risk areas such as shallow waters near coastlines, new burial techniques will be used to prevent damage from ship anchors and other unspecified hazards.Meta justifies the project as a critical infrastructure upgrade to advance AI development. The company claims that machine learning and generative AI models represent a revolution in progress, although businesses are still exploring what these agentic AI solutions can truly contribute in terms of efficiency and additional revenue. // Related StoriesMeta also argues that Project Waterworth can bring the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies to every corner of the globe. However, the initiative could increase the risk of sabotage attempts. Undersea cables have become prime targets for adversarial nations like Russia and China, prompting NATO to quickly develop countermeasures and alternative internet connectivity routes.