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Jeff Bezos Envisions Gigawatt-Scale Data Centres in Space Within Two Decades

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says it’s only a matter of time before humanity builds massive data centres in orbit, powered by continuous solar energy and free from Earth’s environmental constraints. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin, Bezos predicted that gigawatt-scale orbital data hubs could become a reality within the next 10 to 20 years, eventually surpassing their terrestrial counterparts in efficiency and cost.

“These giant training clusters—those will be better built in space,” Bezos said during a conversation with Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann. “We have solar power there 24/7—no clouds, no rain, no weather. We will be able to beat the cost of terrestrial data centres in space in the next couple of decades.”

The idea of space-based computing infrastructure is gaining traction among tech firms as AI-driven demand for electricity, cooling, and server capacity skyrockets on Earth. Conventional data centres are now among the world’s largest industrial consumers of energy and water, fueling the search for sustainable alternatives.

Bezos described orbital data centres as a natural next step in the broader trend of using space to improve life on Earth, noting that satellites already manage weather forecasting, communications, and navigation. “The next step is data centres, then other kinds of manufacturing,” he said.

However, the vision faces formidable obstacles: high launch costs, maintenance difficulties, and the risk of mission failures in space. Frequent upgrades—a routine part of Earth-based data infrastructure—would be far more complicated in orbit.

Beyond technology, Bezos framed the discussion within a broader narrative about AI and societal transformation. Drawing parallels between today’s artificial intelligence boom and the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s, he urged optimism despite speculative excess.

“We should be extremely optimistic that the societal and beneficial consequences of AI—like we had with the internet 25 years ago—are for real and there to stay,” he said. “It’s important to separate potential bubbles from the actual underlying reality.”

Bezos emphasized that AI’s impact will be “broadly diffused” across industries and societies, suggesting that the technology’s true promise lies not in isolated breakthroughs but in its global, everyday applications.

His comments add weight to the emerging idea that space infrastructure could become the next great frontier of the digital economy, where data, energy, and AI converge far above Earth’s atmosphere.

Von der Leyen Calls for Europe-Wide Push on AI-Powered Cars to Revive Auto Industry

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged the European Union to embrace an “AI first” strategy for the automotive sector, calling for a coordinated effort to develop self-driving cars made in Europe. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin, the continent’s automotive capital, she argued that artificial intelligence could rejuvenate Europe’s car industry while enhancing road safety and sustainability.

“Self-driving cars are already a reality in the United States and China. The same should be true here in Europe,” von der Leyen said, emphasizing that “AI first” must also mean “safety first.” Her comments reflect growing concern in Brussels about the competitiveness gap between European automakers and tech-led rivals abroad, particularly in the U.S. and China, where AI-driven mobility is advancing rapidly.

Von der Leyen proposed creating a network of European cities to serve as autonomous vehicle pilot zones, noting that 60 Italian mayors have already expressed interest in joining the initiative. She pledged EU support for vehicles “made in Europe, and made for European streets,” positioning AI innovation as a cornerstone of industrial revival and regional independence.

The announcement comes amid intense pressure on Europe’s automotive sector, which employs millions of workers and faces simultaneous demands to decarbonize and digitize. Von der Leyen argued that AI-driven transport could reduce congestion, connect rural communities, and preserve jobs by enabling a new ecosystem of European-designed mobility technologies.

Also speaking at the event were Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann, and other global technology leaders—highlighting the deepening link between Silicon Valley innovation and Europe’s manufacturing transformation.

“The future of cars—and the cars of the future—must be made in Europe,” von der Leyen concluded, framing AI not as a threat but as the engine of Europe’s next industrial renaissance.

Jeff Bezos Leads $72M Investment in AI Data Firm Toloka to Fuel U.S. Expansion

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Jeff Bezos, through his personal firm Bezos Expeditions, is leading a $72 million funding round in Toloka, an AI data solutions company aiming to scale its global presence, particularly in the United States, Toloka told Reuters on Wednesday.

Toloka specializes in training and evaluating AI models using a global network of human experts and testers, providing high-quality data labeling and validation. The company is part of Nebius Group (NBIS.O), an AI infrastructure firm listed on Nasdaq and formerly affiliated with Russian tech giant Yandex.

The investment marks a significant milestone for CEO and founder Olga Megorskaya, who said the funding would accelerate product development by fostering collaboration between AI agents and human experts.

“There will always be the need for control, verification, and help from human experts to ensure that the result is actually of high quality,” she said.

Strategic Backing and Global Shift

The deal comes after Nebius successfully split from Yandex in a $5.4 billion exit from Russia, the largest corporate withdrawal since the 2022 Ukraine invasion. The restructuring allowed Nebius and Toloka to pursue Western capital without violating sanctions.

Other notable participants in the round include Mikhail Parakhin, CTO of Shopify, who will also serve as Toloka’s executive chairman. Parakhin emphasized the urgent global demand for trusted AI data solutions.

In late 2023, Nvidia invested in a $700 million private placement in Nebius, highlighting growing institutional interest in AI infrastructure and tools.

With this latest funding round:

  • Bezos Expeditions and other new investors gain equity

  • Nebius retains a majority economic stake, but gives up majority voting control, enabling Toloka to operate independently

  • A future funding round is anticipated, Megorskaya said

The investment underscores a broader trend of scaling AI companies focused on high-quality data pipelines, as tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Anthropic increasingly rely on curated training datasets for safe and effective AI model development.