According to a recent analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global investment in AI data centers is projected to reach $580 billion in 2025. This figure surpasses spending on new oil production by $40 billion, prompting the comparison of data centers to modern-day oil fields. The question remains: does this shift benefit the environment, or is it simply another form of resource consumption?
On the Equity podcast from TechCrunch, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan explore the implications of this investment trend for the power grid, climate technology, and whether public funds should support the infrastructure goals of major tech companies.
Tune in to the complete episode for discussions on:
- The anti-AI statement included at the conclusion of Pluribus
- Israeli AI agent company Wonderful’s impressive $100 million Series A round, and the potential of customer service as a breakthrough use case for AI agents
- Swedish self-driving vehicle firm Einride’s SPAC transaction—yes, SPACs are making a return—and whether its electric truck operations can realize the vision of autonomous pods
- OpenAI’s CFO retracting remarks about government “backstops” for data center financing, and what the organization is actually seeking from the CHIPS Act
- The increasing use of government spyware against journalists and activists, and how smartphone architecture makes detection extremely difficult
- How hacking groups with ties to China, such as Salt Typhoon, are “preparing for sabotage” within essential infrastructure across the globe
Note: This podcast episode was created by humans.
