Updated

A new analysis pushed back on widely held assumptions about the scale, economics and environmental impact of AI data centers, arguing that public perception of the buildout has diverged from the underlying evidence. The piece comes amid intensifying debate over the pace and cost of AI infrastructure investment by major technology companies. The report adds to a growing body of commentary questioning whether the AI infrastructure boom is being accurately understood by investors and the public, even as capital spending on data centers continues to accelerate industry-wide.