The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the global technology landscape. As big tech firms race to develop ever-more powerful AI systems, their insatiable need for computing power is driving a shift in the geopolitical balance of power.
These tech giants are seeking out locations with abundant, low-cost energy to power the data centers that house the energy-hungry servers required to run their AI algorithms. This quest for cheap, reliable electricity is leading them to explore new frontiers, from the remote reaches of Scandinavia to the hydroelectric-rich nations of the Global South.
Nations, in turn, are competing fiercely to attract these lucrative AI investments, recognizing the economic and strategic advantages they can bring. Access to cutting-edge AI capabilities can confer significant geopolitical influence, as well as spur domestic innovation and job creation.
This dynamic has the potential to reshape global power dynamics in the decades to come. The countries that can successfully position themselves as AI hubs may gain an outsized say in shaping the future of this transformative technology - and, by extension, the world order itself.
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Big tech will scour globe for cheap energy
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