AI, however, depends on data centers in the physical world, and building data centers needs permission. This gives normal people the sort of veto power over AI they didn't have in the face of globalization; I make the case in Monday's Update and on Sharp Tech that understanding this dynamic is more important that trying to correct misinformation, which is a symptom, not a cause, of data center opposition.

Ben Thompson
underscored
@underscored·May 23, 2026