AI growth zones and hyperscale data centers can anchor investment and grid upgrades, but they are capital‑intensive and employ far fewer people than the industries they replace. Regions banking on a 'second coal boom' will be disappointed unless they pair these sites with broader supply‑chain, skills, and land‑use strategies.
— It reframes AI‑led regional policy from job‑creation promises to realistic planning around tax, infrastructure, and complementary industries.
Dan Jackson
2025.09.18
100% relevant
The UK announced an AI growth zone with a Blackstone‑backed data center at Blyth, and the author cautions 'data centres are by no means as labour intensive as the collieries and shipyards that preceded them.'
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