{
  "id": 11772319,
  "title": "AI’s race to transform the world before the money runs out",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/ais-race-to-transform-the-world-before-the-money-runs-out-11772319",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-03T21:23:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40442496/ais-race-to-transform-the-world-before-the-money-runs-out"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In recent years, a staggering amount of capital has flowed into the nascent field of artificial intelligence (AI), surpassing the financial investments made during the railway and internet revolutions. According to a projection by PwC, total spending on data centers worldwide could reach an astonishing USD30 trillion by 2050, nearly equaling the value of outstanding US Treasuries. PwC noted that this spending \"dwarfs\" the investments seen in previous technological booms, even after accounting for inflation.\n\nOne of the leading players in the AI race, Anthropic, has announced plans to invest USD518 billion in the coming years, surpassing 100 times its 2025 revenue. This massive outlay is backed by investors who believe AI technology will prove to be as transformative as the steam engine and the industrialization it catalyzed.\n\nHowever, behind these bold projections and substantial investments, there are concerns about the underlying assumptions and evidence to support the promise of vast productivity gains and future profits. Economists argue that while AI may drive innovation, the claims of broad-based productivity improvements and sustained profitability remain unproven. JP Morgan's research from August highlighted that productivity gains in the US, the country at the forefront of AI development, have \"remained elusive,\" casting doubt on the long-term sustainability of AI valuations.\n\nAdditionally, a study by Bain & Company suggests that existing markets alone may not generate enough productivity gains to justify the current level of investment in AI. The company posits that entirely new sectors must emerge to bridge the funding gap. These potential new markets could involve the use of AI-guided robots and the development of novel materials for batteries and semiconductors, but there is little historical precedent or evidence to confirm their viability.",
  "summary": "LONDON: Never has so much cash flowed into a new technology as is pouring into AI, eclipsing the sums splurged on railways or the internet when those technological revolutions sucked in capital. Cumulative spending globally on data centers alone could top USD30 trillion by 2050, according to a projection by PwC, almost matching the value of outstanding US Treasuries. It “dwarfs” what was spent in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "AI’s race to transform the world before the money runs out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/ais-race-to-transform-the-world-before-the-money-runs-out",
        "published": "2026-10-03T05:03:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "Analysis:AI's race to transform the world before the money runs out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/analysis-ais-race-to-transform-the-world-before-the-money-runs-out-11609146",
        "published": "2026-10-03T05:06:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Analysis-AI’s race to transform the world before the money runs out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/analysis-ais-race-to-transform-the-world-before-the-money-runs-out",
        "published": "2026-10-03T05:12:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}