As AI data centers scale, investigating their impact becomes its own beat

Data centers have long underpinned the internet as we know it, but the generative AI boom has ushered in a new era of rapid, largely unchecked development. Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta alone are expected to spend over $700 billion on capital expenses in 2026 , an increase of 60% from 2025. Much of that money will be funneled toward stockpiling specialized chips and breaking ground on massiv