Jeff Bezos Predicts Space-Based Gigawatt Data Centres Soon

Turin: Amazon founder and executive chair Jeff Bezos has painted a bold vision for the next frontier in computing: gigawatt-scale data centres orbiting Earth. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin, Bezos predicted these colossal orbital hubs could be operational within the next 10 to 20 years.

A Shift Driven by Energy and AI Demands

As artificial intelligence and cloud computing usage soar worldwide, the energy and water demands for maintaining terrestrial data centres are skyrocketing. Bezos highlighted that space-based centres could provide a sustainable solution. “These giant training clusters will be better built in space,” he said, noting the uninterrupted solar energy available outside Earth’s atmosphere.

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Unlike Earth-based facilities, space offers 24/7 solar power without clouds, rain, or storms, potentially reducing operational costs while meeting the growing computational needs of global AI networks.

The Technical and Logistical Challenges

Despite the promise, space data centres are not without hurdles. Maintenance in orbit is complex, upgrades are limited, and launch costs remain steep. Moreover, the risk of rocket failures poses a significant operational challenge, making careful planning crucial for success.

A Broader Space Infrastructure Trend

Bezos framed these orbital data centres as part of a larger trajectory: leveraging space to enhance life on Earth. Weather satellites and communication satellites have already proven the benefits of space-based infrastructure. Data centres, and eventually space-based manufacturing, may be the next milestone in this evolution.

With technology advancing rapidly and the push for sustainable computing intensifying, Bezos’ vision signals a potential paradigm shift in how humanity manages its digital backbone, moving beyond terrestrial limitations into the final frontier.