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The port of Cape Town
WATER SCARCITY

Cape Town should not sacrifice its water for data centres

As the Western Cape champions data centres as the 'engine of the future economy,' this article critically examines the hidden cost: water. Drawing parallels with water-scarce…

  • Sõzarn Barday
5 min read
Aerial view of the Google data center at Eemshaven, Netherlands, surrounded by wind turbines and a nearby power plant. As AI expands, data centers like this require large amounts of electricity, making energy supply a key challenge -Aerial view of the Google data center at Eemshaven, Netherlands, surrounded by wind turbines and a nearby power plant. As AI expands, data centers like this require large amounts of electricity, making energy supply a key challenge. Photo by Wvdp
AI

AI’s hidden environmental cost: UN report flags massive water, energy and land footprint

AI’s rapid growth is driving major water, energy, land and e-waste impacts, raising environmental justice concerns worldwide

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
South Africa’s digital economy is being undermined by local beneficiation for copper, which has become an essential mineral in the age of artificial intelligence — from data centres, electricity cables and battery storage. (Flickr)
AI IN SOUTH AFRICA

Copper will determine South Africa’s digital economy success

The economy is expected to create a jobs boom if the country can fix its electricity grid and meet the increasing demand for local copper beneficiation

  • Nkateko Joseph Mabasa
6 min read
By 2023, the major hyperscalers (Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta) operated close to 992 data centres globally, with capacity having doubled in just four years
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AI is driving data centre growth in Africa

South Africa, in particular, is witnessing remarkable growth, poised to secure a substantial share of the projected $5 billion investment in the African data centre market by 2026

  • Juanita Clark
4 min read
By addressing investment challenges, improving infrastructure, reforming regulations, and nurturing talent, we can unlock Africa’s digital potential. (Getty Images)
AFRICA

Unlocking Africa’s digital potential: Addressing challenges and charting a path forward

By addressing investment challenges, improving infrastructure, reforming regulations, and nurturing talent, we can unlock Africa’s digital potential

  • Chudi Okoye
4 min read