cloud computing

Anthropic has signed a $12 billion agreement with Akamai for AI computing capacity, according to a Bloomberg report. The deal would give the AI company access to large-scale infrastructure to support training and running its models. Akamai, better known as a content delivery and cloud company, has been expanding into compute services, and a deal of this size would mark one of its biggest wins in that push.

CoreWeave, the GPU-focused cloud provider, is shifting from capitalising on shortages of AI chips to proving it can build a lasting, sustainable cloud business. Commentary centres on whether the company can convert its early advantage in scarce Nvidia GPUs into durable revenue as competition intensifies and chip supply improves. Analysts are watching its contracts, margins and ability to diversify beyond raw computing power.

Opposition to data centers is growing in many communities, but climate groups argue the movement has not yet turned into a broader reckoning over the facilities' greenhouse gas emissions. Activists are joining local anti-data-center campaigns, hoping to draw attention to the massive energy and water demands of the computing infrastructure behind AI and cloud services. The open question is whether residents angry about land, power and noise will also come to care about the impact on the atmosphere.

A report highlighted by health care journalists examines how data centers affect the environment and public health in rural areas. Large facilities built to power cloud computing and artificial intelligence consume vast amounts of electricity and water, raising concerns among rural residents about noise, strained utilities and potential health effects. The coverage reflects growing attention on the rapid expansion of data center infrastructure in communities across the United States and beyond.