A Quartz piece tracks a new kind of land rush across the US, driven by AI data centres. Power, cooling, and security now matter more than proximity to cities or talent pools.
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Compute follows electricity
AI infrastructure is clustering near cheap, stable energy, not office towers or tech hubs. -
Data centres beat housing for land value
In some regions, data centres now outbid residential developers, reshaping local economies and planning priorities. -
AI turns infrastructure into strategy
Real estate, energy, and national resilience are becoming part of the AI conversation, not side issues.
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It does make you wonder. When you look at places like Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, massive power supply, existing industrial infrastructure, geopolitical stability, little old safe NZ starts to look quietly strategic.
