Hyperscale and AI datacenters are being called the new railroads and power plants of the digital age — with nearly $7 trillion in projected investment by 2030. But is this a sustainable industrial revolution, or just another bubble in disguise?
In this episode, we unpack the core thesis of The New Digital Backbone report:
Why datacenters have become strategic national assets, not just IT warehouses
The business models driving hyperscalers — from IaaS and AI-as-a-Service to GPU monetization
How depreciation, cost segregation, and financial engineering shape returns
Who really profits: chipmakers, utilities, and REITs — and who bears the risk
The GPU shortage, power grid strain, and regulatory roadblocks that could derail growth
Geopolitical battles over digital sovereignty and supply chain fragility
Lessons from the dot-com and telecom busts — and why this cycle may be different
Join us as we explore whether the global datacenter build-out is laying the foundations for decades of innovation, or racing toward an overcapacity trap.