Data centers could spell doom for the AI investment story, warns Jim Chanos. - Getty Images Investors continue to push doubts to the surface over AI bets paying off into year-end. Among those with strong views on that theme is prominent investment manager Jim Chanos, best known for past short selling bets on Enron and Tesla. In a podcast interview with Monetary Matters with Jack Farley, Chanos discussed why he thinks dot-com bust 2.0 could be coming as he explained one bearish bet he’s doubling down on. ...

Core Viewpoint - Ford is shifting its focus from electric vehicles (EVs) to energy storage solutions, resulting in a $19.5 billion cost due to the cancellation of planned electric models and a pivot towards hybrid vehicles [1][12]. Group 1: Strategic Shift - Ford will repurpose its EV battery factory in Kentucky to produce batteries for data centers and energy infrastructure [1][8]. - The company plans to invest $2 billion to scale its new energy storage business, aiming to deploy at least 20 gigawatt-hours of energy storage systems by the end of 2027, which can power approximately 2,000 US homes for a year [2][8]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - Demand for EVs has significantly decreased, dropping from 12% to 5% of the US automotive market, prompting Ford to adjust its strategy [12]. - The data center power demand is projected to triple over the next three years, driven by substantial investments from tech giants in AI infrastructure [6]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Ford's new direction mirrors that of Tesla, which has successfully established a profitable energy storage business, generating over $10 billion last year from battery sales [9]. - Tesla's Megapack batteries are being utilized in major data centers, showcasing the potential for energy storage solutions in supporting AI infrastructure [10].

Core Insights - Token Cat Limited has entered into a master service agreement with Better Now New York Inc. to collaborate on an artificial intelligence data center project in the United States, marking a significant step in the company's overseas expansion efforts [1][4]. Project Details - The AI data center project will be based on approximately 30 megawatts (MW) of power capacity, implemented in phases. Currently, Token Cat has access to about 12 MW of available power capacity in the U.S. for initial deployment [2][3]. - Token Cat will be involved in project planning, funding arrangements, and will support data center construction and operations, while Better Now will utilize its local resources for project execution [3][5]. Strategic Importance - The collaboration is expected to enhance Token Cat's overseas infrastructure and meet the growing demand for stable computing infrastructure driven by artificial intelligence applications [4][5]. - The CEO of Token Cat emphasized the importance of this collaboration for advancing the company's infrastructure initiatives and exploring long-term growth opportunities in a disciplined manner [5].

Core Viewpoint - Hyperscale Data, Inc. has a significant Bitcoin treasury valued at approximately $75.5 million, representing about 97.5% of its market capitalization, as part of its strategy to accumulate Bitcoin equal to its market cap [1][4]. Group 1: Bitcoin Holdings and Strategy - The company's subsidiary, Sentinum, holds approximately 498.4633 Bitcoin, with a market value of around $44 million based on the Bitcoin price of $88,175 as of December 14, 2025 [2]. - Hyperscale Data has allocated $31.5 million in cash for future Bitcoin purchases, employing a disciplined dollar-cost averaging strategy to mitigate short-term market volatility [3][4]. - The company aims to invest at least 5% of the allocated cash weekly into Bitcoin, although actual amounts may vary based on market conditions [4]. Group 2: Future Plans and Reporting - The company plans to continue issuing weekly reports detailing its Bitcoin holdings as it progresses towards its $100 million digital asset treasury target [5]. - The divestiture of Ault Capital Group, expected in the second quarter of 2026, will position Hyperscale Data as a dedicated owner and operator of data centers and digital assets [8].

Core Insights - TotalEnergies is expanding its partnership with Google by signing a 21-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply renewable energy for Google's data centers in Malaysia, providing a total volume of 1 TWh, equivalent to 20 MW, from the Citra Energies solar plant [1][4] Group 1: Company Developments - The solar farm supporting Google's operations is set to begin construction in early 2026, with the PPA taking effect upon the project's financial close, expected in the first quarter of 2026 [2] - TotalEnergies emphasizes its capability to deliver competitive power solutions tailored for major tech companies in both mature and emerging markets, as stated by Sophie Chevalier, Senior Vice President of Flexible Power & Integration [3] Group 2: Industry Context - Malaysia leads Southeast Asia with the largest data center project pipeline, accounting for 3.4 GW, or 60%, of all proposed projects in the region, with projections indicating that by 2035, over 10% of electricity demand in Malaysia and Singapore could be attributed to data centers [4] - The recent Google deal is part of a broader trend, as TotalEnergies has also signed multiple PPAs to supply renewable energy to data centers in Europe and the United States, including a 15-year PPA for Ohio and a 10-year agreement with Data4 in Spain [5]

Group 1 - TotalEnergies has signed a 21-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google to deliver 1 terawatt-hour of certified renewable electricity from the Citra Energies solar project in northern Malaysia, equivalent to around 20 megawatts of capacity [1] - The solar plant in Kedah province is set to begin construction in early 2026, with the PPA expected to take effect at financial close in the first quarter of 2026 [2] - The project was awarded under Malaysia's Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP), with TotalEnergies holding a 49% stake and local partner MK Land owning the remaining 51% [2][6] Group 2 - The agreement highlights the growing trend of hyperscale data center growth and long-term renewable power procurement in emerging markets, as companies like Google seek direct, long-duration PPAs for clean electricity [3] - TotalEnergies is strengthening its position as a global provider of tailored power solutions for large industrial and digital clients, extending its partnership with Google, which includes renewable supply contracts in the United States [4] Group 3 - Malaysia is becoming a key regional hub for data centers due to strong digital demand, competitive operating costs, and supportive government policies, while rising electricity demand from digital infrastructure pressures utilities to expand clean generation capacity [5] - The CGPP allows corporate buyers to contract renewable electricity directly from new projects, aligning with the TotalEnergies–Google agreement by adding new solar capacity [6] Group 4 - TotalEnergies has been expanding its global PPA portfolio with major corporate buyers, reflecting a broader trend toward long-term contracted revenues in the power sector [7] - As of late 2025, TotalEnergies had over 32 gigawatts of installed renewable generation capacity worldwide, targeting 35 gigawatts by year-end and aiming to exceed 100 terawatt-hours of net electricity production by 2030 [8]

Legendary short-seller Jim Chanos is sounding the alarm on the AI infrastructure boom, warning that a critical accounting oversight regarding Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) chips creates a “massive financial risk” for the sector's aggressive spenders.Depreciation TrapIn a recent podcast interview, Chanos argued that data center operators, specifically Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) and “neocloud” provider CoreWeave Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) , are overstating their future profitability by relying on unrealistic depreciation ...

December 15, 2025 09:10 PM GMT Commodity Matters | Europe Data Centres and Copper Demand: Updating Estimates We estimate data centres will consume 500 kt (1.5%) of copper in 2025, rising to ~740 kt in 2026, adding 0.6 p.p. to copper demand growth. This should help tighten the copper balance, even as other sectors like renewables show signs of slowing, against a backdrop of constrained supply. Key Takeaways Data centre estimates continue to rise: Stephen Byrd and team have published their latest Powering Gen ...

Summary of J.P. Morgan Communications Infrastructure Conference Call Industry Overview - The data center industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by AI demand, with incremental capacity builds doubling from the previous year and expected to continue increasing in 2026 [1][4] - The market is segmented into enterprise colocation, traditional wholesale, and dedicated AI/cloud hyperscale builds, with robust pricing trends anticipated for colocation and wholesale services [1][3] Key Insights Data Center Capacity and Demand - For 2025, global data center capacity is projected to increase by 12.6 GW, reaching a total of 59.0 GW, which is a 27.1% year-over-year increase. Demand is expected to reach 86.8 GW, up 23.8% globally, resulting in a supply-demand gap of 23.7 GW [3][22] - In 2026, global supply is estimated to grow by 17.5 GW, a 29.6% year-over-year increase, with 11.0 GW coming from the U.S. [3][5] AI Infrastructure and Projects - The report highlights that AI-driven demand will continue to dominate the data center landscape, with mega-scale dedicated AI projects expected to be significant contributors to capacity growth [4][29] - The ongoing AI race is still in its early stages, and while the ultimate outcome is uncertain, industry capacity remains constrained [1][4] Towers and Leasing Revenue - The outlook for towers in 2026 is challenging due to issues with EchoStar and DISH, but there is potential for organic growth acceleration as the year progresses [3][4] - Domestic organic tower growth is projected at 1.9% in 2025, increasing to 3.9% in 2026, with total macro U.S. new leasing revenue estimated at $314 million, flat compared to 2025 [3][4] Challenges and Constraints - The data center industry faces several challenges, including long equipment lead times (18-24 months), skilled labor shortages, limited utility power availability, and elevated construction costs [6][10] - The rise of AI workloads has led to significantly higher power requirements, straining the data center capacity supply chain [6][19] Future Projections - By 2028, the supply-demand gap is expected to widen to 30.6 GW, with demand projected to reach 105.1 GW while supply is estimated at 74.5 GW [14][22] - The report anticipates that dedicated AI hyperscale projects will add approximately 5.3 GW in 2026, accounting for 48% of incremental U.S. capacity [31][34] Investment Opportunities - The emergence of AI-tailored hardware, such as Google's TPUs, is expected to drive additional demand for cloud on-ramps and enterprise colocation deployments [8][9] - Companies like Amazon, OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft are making significant investments in AI infrastructure, which could lead to increased demand for data center capacity [36][40] Conclusion - The data center industry is poised for substantial growth driven by AI demand, but faces significant challenges that could impact capacity delivery and pricing dynamics. Investors should closely monitor developments in AI infrastructure and the associated supply-demand landscape to identify potential opportunities and risks.

The data-center provider's terrible six-week slide picked up speed when a famous short seller piled concerns on top of delays. ...