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The $580 Billion Data Center Boom | Equity Podcast

A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that $580 billion will be spent globally on AI data centers in 2025 alone. This is $40 billion more than will be spent on new oil supplies — leading us to conclude that data centers are the new oil fields. But is this a net…

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A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that $580 billion will be spent globally on AI data centers in 2025 alone. This is $40 billion more than will be spent on new oil supplies — leading us to conclude that data centers are the new oil fields. But is this a net positive for the environment or just a different kind of resource drain?

On TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan dig into what this spending shift means for the energy grid, climate tech, and whether taxpayers should be footing the bill for Big Tech’s infrastructure ambitions.

Listen to the full episode to hear about:

The anti-AI disclaimer at the end of Pluribus

Israeli AI agent startup Wonderful’s massive $100 million Series A, and why customer service might be the killer app for AI agents

Swedish autonomous vehicle company Einride’s SPAC deal — yes, SPACs are back — and whether its electric truck business can carry the autonomous pod dream

Why OpenAI’s CFO walked back comments about government “backstops” for data center loans, and what the company is actually asking for from the CHIPS Act

The rise of government spyware targeting journalists and activists, and why mobile phone design makes it nearly impossible to detect

How China-backed hacking groups like Salt Typhoon are “pre-positioning for sabotage” in critical infrastructure worldwide

Disclaimer: This podcast was (also) made by humans

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2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. @LiquidAIWater

    November 16, 2025 at 6:55 pm

    The reality is they are dumping these data centers anywhere they can secure cheap power without any consideration of local communities. They are ignoring the communities water and power needs and local politicians are clueless as to what future demand might be on these communities.
    Unless AI wants an ugly backlash, there has to be a talk about geographical considerations that don’t put local communities at risk just because there is some cheap available electricity.

  2. @ipolog

    November 19, 2025 at 8:04 am

    If site selection continues to focus solely on cheap power, the result will be stressed infrastructure and rising resistance at the local level. Long-term expansion depends on models where communities actually benefit instead of feeling burdened.

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Science & Technology

Defense tech is flooded with money, but who’s built to last? | Equity Podcast

Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new startups is chasing those government contracts, but according to Ross Fubini, the venture investor who wrote Anduril’s first check, most of…

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Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new startups is chasing those government contracts, but according to Ross Fubini, the venture investor who wrote Anduril’s first check, most of them will get lost in the Valley of Death between prototype contract and real production deal.

On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan asks Fubini — the founder and managing partner of XYZ Venture Capital, built on the Palantir alumni network and now approaching $2B AUM — what separates the survivors from the rest.

Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:11 XYZ VC’s Palantir roots, Anduril investment, and the defense investing thesis

09:25 Ukraine, Iran, and real-time battlefield testing of startups

17:59 The global shift: sovereign defense tech & decoupling from the US

23:29 The dual-use dilemma & how startups should structure GTM

34:35 Manufacturing, govtech, and beyond weapons systems

36:25 Outro

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CNET

Razr Fold Review: A Thin Foldable Done Right

Motorola’s first book-style foldable makes a strong debut, with long battery life, impressive cameras and a sleek build. But there are some caveats, including the hefty $1,900 price. 00:00 – Build Quality and Design 01:09 – Inner and Outer Displays 01:36 – Multitasking and App Continuity 02:02 – Camera System and Features 02:40 – Battery…

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Motorola’s first book-style foldable makes a strong debut, with long battery life, impressive cameras and a sleek build. But there are some caveats, including the hefty $1,900 price.

00:00 – Build Quality and Design
01:09 – Inner and Outer Displays
01:36 – Multitasking and App Continuity
02:02 – Camera System and Features
02:40 – Battery Life and Charging Performance
03:32 – Processor, Software, and AI Features
04:03 – Pricing and Final Verdict

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CNET

AI, AI, AI: How It All Fits Into Apple’s Future Wearables

Glasses, pendants, AirPods, watches and what else? Apple may not reveal everything at WWDC, but it should start discussing the changes to AI that are coming. 0:00 Apple’s Wearable and AI Aspirations 0:19 Rumored AI Pendants and Smart Glasses 1:33 Bringing Generative AI to the Apple Watch 2:21 The Future of AirPods: Cameras and Gestures…

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Glasses, pendants, AirPods, watches and what else? Apple may not reveal everything at WWDC, but it should start discussing the changes to AI that are coming.

0:00 Apple’s Wearable and AI Aspirations
0:19 Rumored AI Pendants and Smart Glasses
1:33 Bringing Generative AI to the Apple Watch
2:21 The Future of AirPods: Cameras and Gestures
3:18 Apple’s AI Roadmap and Multimodal Inputs
4:00 Leadership Transition and Final Thoughts

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