The Guardian's global tech reporting team is investigating the impact of colossal datacentres built to power the AI revolution [1].

This shift in reporting reflects a broader transition in the technology industry. As AI evolves, the focus of journalistic scrutiny is moving from screen-based digital realities to the tangible, physical infrastructure, and social harms associated with large-scale computing [1].

Reporting on these facilities requires a return to what journalists call "shoe-leather reporting," referring to the on-the-ground legwork necessary to cover complex physical stories [1]. The team is focusing on the scale and environmental footprint of these sites as they proliferate globally.

One reporter from The Guardian said, "These are some of the most complex structures ever created" [1].

The investigation seeks to bridge the gap between the invisible nature of cloud computing and the massive physical presence of the hardware that enables it. By visiting these sites, the reporting team aims to document how the AI revolution is reshaping the physical landscape [1].

“"These are some of the most complex structures ever created"”

The transition toward physical-world reporting signifies that the AI boom is no longer just a software story. Because AI requires unprecedented amounts of energy and land, the environmental and geopolitical impacts of datacentre construction are becoming primary drivers of tech policy and public concern.