Power and Geography Shape AI Infrastructure

Good morning. This week's issue traces how practical constraints — electricity, manufacturing capacity, geography — are reshaping technology plans in ways that matter more than the technologies themselves.

Two stories show AI infrastructure builders scrambling for power solutions: one relocating entire data centers to regions with available energy, another reviving steam turbine designs from the 1800s because modern equipment is back-ordered for six years. Meanwhile, advanced driver assistance quietly crosses from luxury option to standard feature.

The throughline is supply and location. When demand outpaces what existing systems can deliver, companies either move to where resources exist or reach back to older designs that still work.