To paraphrase Justin Timberlake in his iconic turn in the 2010 film "The Social Network," a trillion dollars isn't cool. You know what is? $3 trillion. The big picture: That's roughly how much money seven Big Tech companies, including Google, Microsoft and Nvidia, have committed to spending on AI-related infrastructure in off-balance-sheet commitments, according to a new analysis from Morgan Stanley. - And that's on top of the estimated $770 billion in debt and lease obligations that are on the balance sheets. Why it matters: The analysis finds that the total amount of spending on AI is much bigger than the already-mind-blowing headlines suggest, and — more of a red flag — it's more leveraged than is perhaps appreciated. How it…
Nothing is driving more new U.S. economic investment or political volatility than data centers . Why it matters: They're the Great Subplot of 2026, THE topic animating the AI race and elections . Everyone needs to understand the size, scope and sentiment surrounding them. The big picture: It's almost impossible to wrap your brain around the scale of the cash dedicated to this buildout — now the biggest capital project in human history. - The five biggest hyperscalers — Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta and Oracle — are set to spend more than $750B on capital expenditures this year. That's up 67% from last year, and roughly 75% of it is earmarked for AI infrastructure. The three things about data centers that you won't be able to…
Actor Mark Ruffalo is facing sharp public rebukes from Paramount, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center after he linked a $111 billion corporate merger to what he called "genocide", a charge all three organizations labeled antisemitic. The 58-year-old "Avengers" actor posted an Instagram Story on Aug. 21 sharing a resurfaced 2024 video clip […] The post Mark Ruffalo draws fire from ADL, Simon Wiesenthal Center after tying Paramount merger to Israeli military appeared first on American Almanac .
Actor Mark Ruffalo is facing sharp public rebukes from Paramount, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center after he linked a $111 billion corporate merger to what he called "genocide", a charge all three organizations labeled antisemitic. The 58-year-old "Avengers" actor posted an Instagram Story on Aug. 21 sharing a resurfaced 2024 video clip of Oracle executive vice chair Safra Catz discussing the tech company's support for Israel's military following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Ruffalo used the clip to argue against the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that would place CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros. under the control of the Ellison family. David Ellison, CEO of Paramount…Open
Local backlash and reliability concerns are challenging the vision of an AI boom built quickly using large off-grid data centers. Why it matters: If giant projects stumble, trillions of dollars in AI investment and the industry's plans to rapidly expand data centers could be at risk. The big picture: In an effort to speed AI development, some companies are building data centers powered mainly by onsite generation rather than waiting years to connect to the electric grid. - There are 59 data centers with a combined capacity of about 90 gigawatts that plan to build their own power "behind-the-meter" using sources like gas turbines, generators and fuel cells, according to a report from research firm Cleanview. - A smaller subset is trying…
President Trump will deliver remarks Thursday afternoon on the White House's plan to expand a voluntary ratepayer protection pledge aimed at shielding consumers from electricity cost increases tied to AI data center growth. The announcement comes as the Ratepayer Protection Act is gaining steam in the House. The legislation, if passed, would require states to "consider" standards that place the costs associated with the sprawling AI infrastructure on tech companies rather than individuals. Earlier this year, the Trump administration said it was seeking agreements with Big Tech companies to pay for the increased power costs in areas where they build new data centers. #trump #epa #ai
President Trump has appointed former Attorney General Pam Bondi to an advisory committee focused on AI policy, Axios has learned. Driving the news: Bondi, whom Trump ousted as AG last month, will be on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). - The panel is chaired by former White House AI adviser David Sacks and White House science adviser Michael Kratsios. - It also includes more than a dozen tech executives, including Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. What we're hearing: Bondi will be charged with facilitating coordination between the government and the tech titans on the panel. What they're saying: "Pam has been an enormously valuable asset…
