American resistance to data centers is pushing AI compute offshore, giving Gulf states new bargaining power over U.S. technology firms.
American resistance to data centers is pushing AI compute offshore, giving Gulf states new bargaining power over U.S. technology firms.
The Gulf’s AI strategy focuses on hosting data centers, not innovation. Using cheap energy, they export fossil fuels embedded in digital services. This builds new leverage, merging control over hydrocarbons and computing infrastructure, which could reshape their role in climate negotiations.
