The NewYorkTimes.com reported that “If the architects of the artificial intelligence boom are right, it is only a matter of time before data centers — the giant computing facilities that power A.I. — will float in orbit and be visible in the night sky like planets.”  The January 1, 2026 article entitled “Even the Sky May Not Be the Limit for A.I. Data Centers” (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/01/technology/space-data-centers-ai.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share)  included these comments from Reporters Eli Tan and Ryan Mac:

The science-fiction-like dream is being driven by A.I. and space industry leaders who are growing increasingly worried that data centers will eventually require more energy and land than are available on Earth. So one solution — perhaps the only solution, they say — is to start building them in space.

Google announced in November that it was working on Project Suncatcher, a space data center project that would begin test launches in 2027. Elon Musk said at a recent conference that space data centers would be the cheapest way to train A.I. “not more than five years from now.” Others pledging support for the idea include Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and Blue Origin; Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI; and Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia.

“It is not a debate — it is going to happen,” said Philip Johnston, the chief executive of Starcloud, a space data center start-up. “The question is when.”

The notion has gained traction as the A.I. race hits a fever pitch, fueling fears of a potential bubble. Meta, OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon and other big tech companies are investing hundreds of billions in data centers worldwide, with OpenAI alone committing $1.4 trillion to such projects. Saudi Arabia and other nations are also pouring money into these efforts, while smaller companies pile up debt and take on financial risks to join the frenzy.

Yet earthbound data centers are increasingly running into limits. In many places, the projects lack enough available power for the computing needs. Local opposition has also flared over whether data centers are driving up utility bills and exacerbating water shortages.

Very interesting AI in the future!