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Why do communities want data centers? : The Indicator from Planet Money Billions of tech dollars flowing into a community to build data centers should transform a local economy ... right? Well, maybe not.

On today's episode: Why data centers create few permanent jobs. And why communities might want them anyway.

Related episodes:
Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Indicator from Planet Money

What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

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Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025. MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images hide caption

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MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images

Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025.

MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images

Billions of tech dollars flowing into a community to build data centers should transform a local economy ... right? Well, maybe not.

On today's episode: Why data centers create few permanent jobs. And why communities might want them anyway.

Related episodes:
Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.