In a Project Syndicate commentary, Vittorio Quaglione argues that while concerns about data centers’ environmental and economic costs are legitimate, policymakers must also weigh the strategic costs of blocking their construction. He points to New York’s recent moratorium on new data centers, following an estimated $85 billion in cancelled projects over three years, as a cautionary example. Quaglione warns that restricting data-center buildout risks leaving the US at a competitive disadvantage in AI infrastructure relative to rivals willing to build.
