Part 5/6:
This dilemma is not unique to A.I.; it also applies to the production of critical minerals required for electric vehicles, where the "dirty" processing often takes place in China. Cohen suggests that there is no easy solution to this challenge, as the urgent need to meet the energy demands of A.I. cannot be easily reconciled with the long-term sustainability goals.
The Importance of Domestic Capacity and Geopolitical Alignment
Cohen emphasizes that the U.S. government's export controls give it significant leverage in determining which countries can access the critical technologies required for A.I. development. This means that the geopolitical alignment of countries hosting A.I. data centers is of paramount importance.