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Tech Journalists

Hyperscale: The Ambition and Excess of Big Tech's Data Empires

Paris Marx · 2026 · Riverhead Books

A tech journalist and host of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast investigates the physical costs of the data center boom — energy, water, and land — behind AI, cryptocurrency, and cloud computing. On sale October 20, 2026, and available for pre-order.

Summary

“An eye-opening account of how the data center boom is pushing our planet past its breaking point.”
— Riverhead Books

The book examines the rise of hyperscale data centers built to meet the computing demands of AI, cryptocurrency, and cloud storage. Marx reports on the energy, water, and land these facilities draw from surrounding communities, and argues that tech companies have pursued this infrastructure build-out in a race for market dominance rather than in response to proven demand. The book is scheduled for publication on October 20, 2026.

Summary based on the publisher's page ↗

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About the author

Paris Marx

Paris Marx is a Canadian technology journalist, author, podcaster, and critic. Marx earned a master's degree in urban geography from McGill University and is the author of Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation (Verso Books, 2022). Marx hosts the tech industry-critical podcast Tech Won't Save Us.

Source: Wikipedia ↗