‘These are some of the most complex structures ever created’: how tech reporting moved into the physical world
The Guardian's tech reporting team has shifted its coverage toward the physical infrastructure behind AI, including large-scale data centers being built around the world. The excerpt describes how on-the-ground field reporting has become a central part of covering the technology industry's expanding real-world footprint.
Why this matters: Data centers are not abstract. They sit in specific places, draw enormous amounts of water and electricity, and affect the people who live nearby. Tech journalism has spent years covering apps and algorithms. Covering the physical infrastructure is different work, and it matters because that is where the actual costs land. Land use, energy grids, local water supplies — these are public issues, not just tech stories. Reporting that goes to the site makes it harder for companies to keep those costs invisible.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy
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