AI data centers need $3.5T yearly revenue to stay solvent, research estimates
TheseFact · reddit · 2026-10-18
Prof. Van Nieuwerburgh's research estimates AI data centers will cost $10T and require at least $3.5T in annual revenue — over 10% of US GDP — for the debt being raised to be solvent, a burden OpenAI, Anthropic and peers must collectively carry. Markets are showing unease with the debt load; the poster compares to the internet, which took 20 years to reach 10% GDP impact, and questions whether a soft landing is possible.
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