Journalist and podcaster Paris Marx discusses his critically acclaimed book Hyperscale, which investigates the infrastructure underpinning the AI revolution and its human cost. Before artificial intelligence captured global attention, hyperscale data centres were already creating environmental and social crises: skyrocketing energy consumption, water scarcity and contamination, and severe light and noise pollution affecting nearby communities. Marx exposes how tech corporations exploit vulnerable populations to fuel their resource-hungry operations, while resistance movements push back against these unsustainable practices.
In conversation with Dr Dan McQuillan, Senior Lecturer in Critical AI at Goldsmiths, Marx examines whether Silicon Valley's technological vision deserves the enthusiasm it has generated. Longlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year, this talk offers a sharp critique of the infrastructure driving digital transformation and the real-world consequences often hidden behind corporate narratives.
