With investments in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure of five leading global big tech comp..
https://www.mk.co.kr/en/it/11957020
Publish Date: 2026-02-08 03:22:00
Source Domain: www.mk.co.kr
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With investments in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure of five leading global big tech companies expected to reach 700 billion dollars (about 1,025 trillion won) this year, concerns are spreading that such a focus on AI is putting a burden on the economy as a whole. It is pointed out that there is a shortage of resources, labor, and capital in other industries due to the rapid increase in AI-related demand.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 7th (local time), five U.S. big tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Oracle, plan to invest $700 billion in building AI infrastructure this year. This is nearly twice the size of last year and three-quarters of the U.S. defense budget this year.
In the recent investment rush, it is pointed out that the focus of resources on AI, along with concerns about continued overinvestment, is adversely affecting other industries. WP pointed out that as investment is concentrated in the AI industry, the supply of memory semiconductors, a key component of consumer electronics such as computers and smartphones, is intensifying. “Smartphone and PC manufacturers are likely to raise prices by more than 5% in the second half of this year or release products with slightly lower performance,” said Francisco Heronimo, an analyst at market research firm IDC.
Labor concentration due to the boom in AI data center construction is also pointed out as a problem. As large-scale data center projects absorb electricians and skilled construction personnel, other essential construction projects such as housing and hospitals are being pushed back. In a White House filing in October last year, OpenAI said that 20% of the workforce is expected to include skilled technicians, such as professional electrical engineers and mechanics, who will be put into data centers to be built in the next few years.
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