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| Cyber |
| Huge data centres rise at 'China speed' to power its AI ambitions |
| 2026-09-23 |
| [BBC] In the expansive grasslands of Inner Mongolia, farmers are picking plump potatoes alongside new neighbours: huge, rectangular blocks that will fuel China's AI platforms. Ulanqab, with its steppes and volcanoes, is an unlikely digital frontier. For years, it has been China's official "potato capital". But now its fields have also become construction sites for a slew of data centres, as Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping meet to discuss AI safety among other things. Hundreds of workers in yellow helmets carry heavy equipment into the building site as welding sparks fly off metal scaffolding. Above them huge cranes move with precision to build rooftops, while men balance on ladders to plaster brickwork. "This is China speed," jokes one worker. "An infrastructure maniac," is how he describes his country, laughing as he walks away. “There is one phase every year. This is the second phase," explains an electrical engineer. "There will be many more phases afterwards." Artifical[sic] intelligence sits at the heart of China's contest with the United States and the key to it is the computing power inside the data centres here. To the Chinese Communist Party, these buildings are critical for the country's economic and national security. Once finished, they will help drive its mission to embed AI across 90% of industries and society by 2030. Nothing will replace the honey bucket man! |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2026-09-23 11:10 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2026-09-23 10:46 |