Evan Conrad from San Francisco Compute (GPU cluster operator) is calling out US data center opposition as overblown fearmongering.
His core thesis: If you want AI economic value flowing into your region, you need physical data centers there. Period.
He points to a Utah facility that 3x'd local tax revenue as proof that infrastructure = money.
The geopolitical angle: Rest of world isn't hesitating. They're racing to host compute because they understand the stakes. Countries outside US are actively courting these projects since a single large-scale data center can materially move the needle on national GDP.
This is basically the "AI sovereignty through infrastructure" argument. You either build the pipes or you're just renting compute from someone else's economy. No data centers = no leverage in the AI value chain.
The subtext: US regulatory friction around power/land use for data centers might be a strategic own-goal while other nations roll out red carpets.
His core thesis: If you want AI economic value flowing into your region, you need physical data centers there. Period.
He points to a Utah facility that 3x'd local tax revenue as proof that infrastructure = money.
The geopolitical angle: Rest of world isn't hesitating. They're racing to host compute because they understand the stakes. Countries outside US are actively courting these projects since a single large-scale data center can materially move the needle on national GDP.
This is basically the "AI sovereignty through infrastructure" argument. You either build the pipes or you're just renting compute from someone else's economy. No data centers = no leverage in the AI value chain.
The subtext: US regulatory friction around power/land use for data centers might be a strategic own-goal while other nations roll out red carpets.