Virtual Curtain: Geopolitics of Data Centres and US-China Competition

To date, the discourse on techno-politics has largely centred on semiconductor fabrication plants in Taiwan, lithographic innovations of the Netherlands, and critical mineral reserves, such as cobalt and lithium, across Africa. However, the next phase of this geopolitical contest is increasingly being shaped by the importance of data centres: the digital fortresses that power the computational demands of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. With data emerging as the new currency of power, geopolitics of data infrastructure is set to shape the contours of global influence with the United States and China, both vying to lead the next technological revolution. This paper explores the growing significance of data centres, the strategic motivations of major powers, and geocentric challenges that accompany this competition. It argues that, much like earlier industrial revolutions, control over data infrastructure will be a decisive factor in determining geopolitical dominance in the coming age of advanced technologies.