"Tech giants have been investing hundreds of billions of dollars into AI data centers just this year alone. But as the deals pile up, so have the concerns around their viability and sustainability. Michael Calore and senior correspondent Lauren Goode sit down with senior writer Molly Taft to discuss how these energy hungry facilities actually work, the different industry interests at stake, and whether it'll all come crumbling down."
"You can always listen to this week's podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here's how: If you're on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts and search for "uncanny valley." We're on Spotify too."
"Michael Calore: Hey, Lauren. How are you doing? Lauren Goode: Hey, Mike. I'm great. It's so nice to be back in studio with you again, because our schedules were not aligning for the past few weeks. Michael Calore: Nope. But the stars and the moon have aligned now, and here we are once again. Lauren Goode: Here we are. And I'm sure all of our listeners have just been sitting here wondering, "When are Lauren and"
Tech giants have invested hundreds of billions into AI data centers this year, driving rapid buildout of energy-intensive facilities. These centers require vast power for high-performance processors and significant cooling infrastructure. The economics intersect cloud providers, chip manufacturers, real-estate interests, utilities, and local governments that offer incentives. Energy consumption for AI workloads remains poorly transparent, complicating assessment of environmental impacts and grid strain. Major vendor deals assume continued exponential demand for compute, but political pushback and infrastructure limits raise questions about long-term viability and whether current expansion practices are sustainable environmentally and economically.
Read at WIRED
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