Chinese AI expansion strains Europe
1m
Chinese tech firms expanded AI infrastructure in Europe: Alibaba announced cloud regions in Finland, Netherlands and Turkey, and other companies used Norwegian data centers, sparking local energy and water concerns.
by Greg Linden
I think cheaper but good enough will win: "China is prioritizing the development of AI systems that are cheap, open-weight ... High-quality outputs with significantly less compute ... US models can cost up to 10 times the cost of running comparable Chinese models."
Chinese models now surpass U.S. models in both monthly and total downloads. National security policy professional Prince Osaji says the dominant AI power won't be the one with the most powerful model—it'll be the one with the most adopted one.
China Is Running a Different AI Race
Prince Osaji writes that China is prioritizing AI systems that are cheap, open-weight, and exportable—pursuing dominance through adoption, not power.
buff.ly
September 23, 2026 at 11:47 PM
I think cheaper but good enough will win: "China is prioritizing the development of AI systems that are cheap, open-weight ... High-quality outputs with significantly less compute ... US models can cost up to 10 times the cost of running comparable Chinese models."
Every hexagon = 500 MW of data center capacity. Line them up on a grid intensity map and you get a pretty clear picture of where America’s AI buildout is landing on dirty power, and where it isn't.
September 23, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Every hexagon = 500 MW of data center capacity. Line them up on a grid intensity map and you get a pretty clear picture of where America’s AI buildout is landing on dirty power, and where it isn't.
Reposted by Greg Linden
Chinese models now surpass U.S. models in both monthly and total downloads. National security policy professional Prince Osaji says the dominant AI power won't be the one with the most powerful model—it'll be the one with the most adopted one.
China Is Running a Different AI Race
Prince Osaji writes that China is prioritizing AI systems that are cheap, open-weight, and exportable—pursuing dominance through adoption, not power.
buff.ly
September 23, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Chinese models now surpass U.S. models in both monthly and total downloads. National security policy professional Prince Osaji says the dominant AI power won't be the one with the most powerful model—it'll be the one with the most adopted one.
by Paul Dorfman
AI Data Centres have yet another heat problem.
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
AI Data Centers Release Heat, Posing New Problem for Cities
As facilities to power AI grow larger and are built in clusters, they are spreading hot air beyond their property lines
www.bloomberg.com
September 23, 2026 at 11:58 AM
AI Data Centres have yet another heat problem.
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
It would be great to have a public database of data center data (I know of a couple efforts, but nothing as comprehensive as S&P). You can check out free state-level aggregates and projections from EPRI's Powering Intelligence white paper: powering-intelligence.epri.com
Home | Powering Intelligence 2026
EPRI projects U.S. data centers to consume 9-17% of national electricity by 2030 as rapid growth driven by AI, streaming, and cryptocurrency accelerates. This report explores scenario-based forecasts,...
powering-intelligence.epri.com
September 23, 2026 at 9:21 PM
It would be great to have a public database of data center data (I know of a couple efforts, but nothing as comprehensive as S&P). You can check out free state-level aggregates and projections from EPRI's Powering Intelligence white paper: powering-intelligence.epri.com
🏭 40 more datacentres pitched for the UK
Civo wants 40 edge datacentres for what it calls Britain's 'sovereign AI'. Grid strain and planning objections go unmentioned.
🔗 theregister.com/off-prem/2026/09/22/civo-plots-40-edge-datacenters-to-power-britains-sovereign-ai/5298141
#AI #Datacentresaa
Civo wants 40 edge datacentres for what it calls Britain's 'sovereign AI'. Grid strain and planning objections go unmentioned.
🔗 theregister.com/off-prem/2026/09/22/civo-plots-40-edge-datacenters-to-power-britains-sovereign-ai/5298141
#AI #Datacentresaa
Civo plots 40 edge datacenters to power Britain's sovereign AI
First site is due in Hertfordshire next March, with Nvidia's Vera Rubin systems and a longer-term 1 GW ambition
theregister.com
September 23, 2026 at 6:11 PM
🏭 40 more datacentres pitched for the UK
Civo wants 40 edge datacentres for what it calls Britain's 'sovereign AI'. Grid strain and planning objections go unmentioned.
🔗 theregister.com/off-prem/2026/09/22/civo-plots-40-edge-datacenters-to-power-britains-sovereign-ai/5298141
#AI #Datacentresaa
Civo wants 40 edge datacentres for what it calls Britain's 'sovereign AI'. Grid strain and planning objections go unmentioned.
🔗 theregister.com/off-prem/2026/09/22/civo-plots-40-edge-datacenters-to-power-britains-sovereign-ai/5298141
#AI #Datacentresaa
Reposted by Bessma Momani
AI data centers release superheated plumes of air that can blow across property lines, threatening to exacerbate the urban heat island effect in cities
AI Data Centers Release Heat, Posing New Problem for Cities
As facilities to power AI grow larger and are built in clusters, they are spreading hot air beyond their property lines
bloom.bg
September 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM
AI data centers release superheated plumes of air that can blow across property lines, threatening to exacerbate the urban heat island effect in cities
China knows the US needs a break – but not China, so Xi does not want to bring its AI team. It is quite, quite clear to me.
www.scmp.com/economy/glob...
www.scmp.com/economy/glob...
Why China’s top AI pioneers are expected to miss this week’s Xi-Trump summit
Beijing has not officially announced details of the delegation, but the leaders of DeepSeek and Moonshot AI are absent from the reported list.
www.scmp.com
September 23, 2026 at 10:52 AM
China knows the US needs a break – but not China, so Xi does not want to bring its AI team. It is quite, quite clear to me.
www.scmp.com/economy/glob...
www.scmp.com/economy/glob...
Reposted by Peter Thorne
The cool thing about AI is that it finally ended that annoying trend where electronics got less expensive year after year.
September 23, 2026 at 4:00 AM
The cool thing about AI is that it finally ended that annoying trend where electronics got less expensive year after year.
Views for @scmpnews.bsky.social: The potential absence of Chinese AI players is linked to differences in their respective domestic environments. Washington was facing growing domestic opposition and political pressure over the rapid development of the technology.
September 23, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Views for @scmpnews.bsky.social: The potential absence of Chinese AI players is linked to differences in their respective domestic environments. Washington was facing growing domestic opposition and political pressure over the rapid development of the technology.