Description:

The Jackson School Student Academic Workshop Series will feature a presentation from four Yale students who are conducting research that addresses the disproportionate impact of data center growth on countries in the Global South, where existing inequalities in global resource distribution and infrastructure gaps may exacerbate the strain on natural resources and communities, raising urgent questions about equitable development and sustainability in the digital era.

The student group includes: Nicole Wong, a joint degree student with the Jackson School and the School of Management; Zoey Duan, who is studying global affairs, global health studies, and statistics and data science; Chi Nguyen, a global affairs major; and Ethan Hsu, who is studying chemistry and ethics, politics, and economics.

The rapid expansion of AI technologies has spurred an unprecedented global growth in data center construction, cementing these facilities as critical infrastructure for the digital age. Data centers, the backbone of AI, cloud computing, and digital economies, have become a focal point of geopolitical competition. The global “data center arms race” reflects not only a pursuit of technological superiority but also a strategic bid for digital sovereignty and control over data flows. However, the rapid pace of data center construction often overlooks the considerable environmental costs, including high energy consumption, water usage, land requirements, and carbon emissions. These challenges are particularly acute in regions with limited resources or inadequate regulatory frameworks to mitigate the impacts.

This project, supported by the Jackson alumni-led Next Frontier Seminar, undertakes regional analyses of the data centre industry in the Global South, to provide a comprehensive understanding of its environmental footprint and the uneven distribution of its benefits and burdens. A particular focus is placed on energy consumption, exploring both the direct demands of powering data centres and the indirect consequences for local energy grids, sustainability goals, and climate commitments.

This event is open to the Yale community. Registration is required.