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Underwater Cables: The Hidden Arteries of the AI Boom and Global Internet

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Deep beneath the oceans lies one of the most crucial — yet least visible — components of modern life: underwater communication cables. Nearly 95% of the world’s international data and voice traffic flows through this vast network of almost one million miles of fiber-optic lines connecting continents.

These cables carry everything from financial transactions and government communications to video calls, cloud services, and AI data transfers. As artificial intelligence grows more data-hungry, investment in subsea infrastructure is accelerating at record speed.

Between 2025 and 2027, global spending on subsea cables is expected to reach $13 billion, nearly double the investment made over the previous three years, according to TeleGeography.

“AI is increasing the need that we have for subsea infrastructure,” said Alex Aime, vice president of network investments at Meta. “Without that connectivity, you just have expensive warehouses.”

Tech giants are now the biggest investors. Meta’s Project Waterworth, a 50,000-kilometer cable linking five continents, will be the longest in the world. Amazon’s Fastnet, connecting the U.S. and Ireland, will deliver speeds equivalent to streaming 12.5 million HD movies simultaneously. Google has funded over 30 subsea systems, while Microsoft has invested in others to bolster its Azure cloud network.

But as global reliance on these cables deepens, so do concerns about security and resilience. Damaged or sabotaged cables can cut off entire nations — as seen when Tonga lost internet access after a volcanic eruption in 2022.

While most damage stems from accidents — fishing nets or dropped anchors — analysts have noted a rise in suspected sabotage near Taiwan and in the Baltic Sea, often coinciding with geopolitical tensions. In response, NATO launched “Baltic Sentry” in early 2025 to protect critical subsea infrastructure.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also tightened rules on foreign ownership of cable systems, citing threats from China and Russia. “We’re making it difficult to connect undersea cables directly from the U.S. to adversary nations,” said FCC Chair Brendan Carr.

From the 1850 telegraph line between Dover and Calais to AI-era fiber networks, subsea cables remain the unseen lifeline of global communication — and the quiet battleground of the world’s next digital conflict.

Google Plans Secretive AI Data Centre on Strategic Christmas Island

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Google is planning to build a powerful artificial intelligence data centre on Australia’s remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, according to documents and local officials cited by Reuters — a move that could transform the tiny outpost into a crucial node for both digital infrastructure and defence strategy.

The project, not previously disclosed, follows Google’s cloud deal with Australia’s Department of Defence signed earlier this year. While the exact cost, size, and purpose of the facility remain undisclosed, military analysts say such a data hub could be pivotal for monitoring Chinese naval operations in the Indian Ocean and supporting AI-driven defence systems.

Located about 350 kilometers south of Indonesia, Christmas Island has increasingly drawn attention from defence planners. Former U.S. Navy strategist Bryan Clark said the proposed facility could serve as a “command and control” hub in any regional crisis, especially for managing AI-enabled uncrewed systems used in surveillance or targeting.

“Subsea cables offer more reliability than satellites,” Clark explained. “If you’ve got a data centre on Christmas Island, you can do a lot of that through cloud infrastructure.”

Google has reportedly applied for environmental approval to install a subsea cable linking Christmas Island to Darwin, where U.S. Marines are stationed, with U.S. firm SubCom handling the installation. The link mirrors other military cable projects connecting strategic outposts like Diego Garcia.

Christmas Island Shire President Steve Pereira said local officials are assessing the project’s potential community impact before giving final approval. The island, home to just 1,600 people, has long faced limited job opportunities and weak communications infrastructure.

“There is support for it, provided it brings local employment and real benefits to the community,” Pereira said.

While some residents fear greater militarization could harm tourism, others welcome the economic boost. Analysts note that the location offers unique advantages for both commercial and strategic uses, sitting at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Red Sea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet Across Asia and Middle East

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Internet services across Asia and the Middle East were disrupted after multiple subsea cable cuts in the Red Sea, according to monitoring group NetBlocks. Connectivity issues have hit users in India, Pakistan, and the UAE, with outages observed on the networks of Etisalat and Du.

The cause of the damage remains unclear, though failures were identified near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a key junction for undersea fiber routes linking Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Microsoft confirmed that its Azure cloud services were affected by the outages, warning users of increased latency. While traffic has been rerouted via alternative paths to prevent full service interruptions, Microsoft said some customers may still experience delays on routes previously running through the Middle East.

Azure is the world’s second-largest cloud provider after Amazon Web Services (AWS), making such disruptions significant for global enterprises. Experts note that the incident underscores the fragility of subsea cable infrastructure, which carries more than 95% of international internet traffic and is increasingly exposed to both accidents and geopolitical tensions.