Artificial intelligence is the transformative technology of our time. As argued in the Brookings Press book, “Turning Point: Policymaking in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” it is powering applications in finance, health care, education, transportation, defense, and e-commerce, among other sectors. AI’s ability to process large amounts of information and act independently on that basis is altering communications, service delivery, financial transactions, administrative processing, and a host of other areas.
Undergirding this growing use of AI is the need for state-of-the-art data centers. This paper examines the future of these entities. It examines what they are, their numbers and distribution, the different types of centers, financial investments, barriers to development, workforce impacts, economic implications, and considerations for guiding their future growth. Briefly, we argue for a framework for data centers that addresses challenges such as access to critical minerals, workforce shortages, community benefits, permitting reforms, energy and water needs, electric grid investment, national security considerations, and geographical placement. Improvements in these areas will be crucial to ensuring a smooth transition to a digital economy. Read the rest of this Article >>
