Big Tech’s big data-centre problem
Big Tech is facing significant challenges in expanding data centres due to high energy demands and geopolitical risks. Companies like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, but the energy requirements of these facilities may outstrip available resources. The recent attack on data centres in the Middle East has further complicated the situation, highlighting vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure.
- ▪The Big Four tech firms pledged to invest $725 billion in AI infrastructure over the next year.
- ▪Data centres require vast energy and water resources, with the Stargate data centre in Texas needing 10 gigawatts of power.
- ▪The attack on data centres in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi has raised concerns about the safety of facilities in volatile regions.
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Big Tech’s big data-centre problem Without abundant energy, the technologies of the future will hit hard limits. i Picture by: Getty dataLayer.push({ event: 'author', author: "Henry Williams" }) Henry Williams 21st May 2026 i Picture by: Getty Share Topics Politics Science & Tech UK Want unlimited, ad-free access? Become a spiked supporter. In April, the Big Four tech firms – Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft – pledged to invest a combined $725 billion in AI infrastructure over the next year. The rosy global future these companies envision is fuelled by a never-ending expansion of data centres. These are massive banks of microchips which require vast energy sources to power them, and large reservoirs of water to cool them.
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