Global investment in data centers rose to a new record in 2025, as companies poured money into the real estate, hardware, and energy infrastructure needed to support fast-growing AI services. S&P Global described the buildout as a “global construction frenzy,” and its analysis put 2024 investment just slightly lower than 2025’s level. Separate coverage has also focused on a kitchen-table angle: in parts of the US, the rapid arrival of very large AI-focused data centers is becoming linked to debates over electricity costs and who ultimately pays for grid upgrades.

Highlights:

• Local power bills: Policy and media coverage highlights concerns that soaring electricity demand from AI data centers could contribute to higher customer bills, prompting political scrutiny in the US.
• Capacity pinch: Some analysts frame the boom as bumping into practical constraints, including shortages in available data center capacity in the US over the next several years.
• Dealmaking surge: Alongside new construction, reporting points to a record run in data-center-related deal activity as AI demand pulls capital toward existing facilities and platforms.
• Energy footprint focus: Coverage also points to the physical inputs behind AI—power, minerals, and machines—drawing more attention to the supply chains that support this fast-scaling industry.

Perspectives:

• S&P Global (market analysts): S&P Global’s analysis characterizes current activity as a sustained building boom, driven by the infrastructure needs of AI companies and ongoing demand for compute. (The Guardian)
• US policymakers and regulators (electricity-cost focus): Some US leaders are examining whether data center growth is pushing up electricity costs and how utilities allocate the expense of new generation and grid upgrades. (Planet Money - NPR (via Google News))

Sources:

• Investment in data centers worldwide hit record $61bn in 2025, report finds - theguardian.com
• What AI data centers are doing to your electric bill : Planet Money - NPR - google.com