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Re:IBM CEO says there is 'no way' spending on AI data center... by Havoc on Tuesday December 02, 2025 @04:13PM (#46126956)
That could change with a power generation breakthrough. If power is very cheap then running ancient gear till it falls apart starts making more sense
Re:IBM CEO says there is 'no way' spending on AI data center... by overfeed on Tuesday December 02, 2025 @09:12PM (#46129508)
Power consumption is only part of the equation. More efficient chips => less heat => lower cooling costs and/or higher compute density in the same space.
Re:IBM CEO says there is 'no way' spending on AI data center... by nish__ on Tuesday December 02, 2025 @09:52PM (#46129760)
Solution: run them in the north. Put a server in the basement of every home in Edmonton and use the excess heat to warm the house.
Re:IBM CEO says there is 'no way' spending on AI data center... by rgmerk on Wednesday December 03, 2025 @01:21AM (#46130844)
Hugely unlikely.

Even if the power is free you still need a grid connection to move it to where you need it, and, guess what, the US grid is bursting at the seams. This is not just due to data center demand; it was struggling to cope with the transition away from coal well before that point.

You also can’t buy a gas turbine for love nor money at the moment, and they’re not ever going to be free.

If you plonked massive amounts of solar panels and batteries in the Nevada desert, that’s becoming cheap but it ain’t free, particularly as you’ll still need gas backup for a string of cloudy days.

If you think SMRs are going to be cheap I have a bridge to sell you, you’re also not going to build them right next to your data centre because the NRC won’t let you.

So that leaves fusion or geothermal. Geothermal is not presently “very cheap” and fusion power has not been demonstrated to work at any price.