Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt wants to put data centers in space

In brief: Eric Schmidt, best known as Google's CEO and public face during the early 2000s, has taken on a surprising new role. Several years after stepping away from Alphabet, Schmidt has acquired a controlling stake in aerospace manufacturer Relativity Space and is now serving as the company's CEO. In his new role as CEO of Relativity Space, Eric Schmidt appears to be exploring the idea of launching data centers into Earth's orbit. During a recent congressional hearing, Schmidt discussed the future of AI and US competitiveness, emphasizing that the energy demands of massive data centers are already spiraling out of control. At the hearing, Schmidt noted that an average US nuclear power plant generates around 1 gigawatt of power, yet some companies are now designing data centers that may require as much as 10 gigawatts. He warned that data centers could need an additional 29 gigawatts within just a few years, and up to 67 more gigawatts by 2030. "These things are industrial at a scal ... Read full article.