Big Tech Dreams of Putting Data Centers in Space
SMRTR summary
Giant computer farms in space? It's not just sci-fi anymore as AI companies search for solutions to their massive energy consumption problem.
"I do guess a lot of the world gets covered in data centers over time," says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has floated the idea of putting these facilities in orbit. He's not alone – Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt are betting on similar concepts.
With data centers expected to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028 and more than half their power coming from fossil fuels, the appeal is obvious: unlimited solar power and no local communities to object to the noise, pollution, or resource drain.
Some startups are already testing small-scale space data centers. Lonestar Data Systems recently attempted to land a miniature facility on the moon, though the lander tipped over during the mission.
But the economic reality remains daunting.
"To be a meaningful rival to terrestrial centers, they will need to compete on cost and service quality like anything else," explains Harvard economist Matthew Weinzierl.
For now, the vast majority of our digital infrastructure will remain firmly on Earth – where communities and regulations still have a say.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Wired.
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