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Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump and Pope Leo are now Earth's most powerful Americans. They lead in different roles and realms
The motto of one newly elected American world leader: " Fight! " The other introduced himself to the world with his first public word as pope: ' Peace.' The contrast between President Donald Trump and Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV couldn't be more stark — politically, personally or in their world views. They lead in different roles and realms. But Leo's historic election last week to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics as the first U.S.-born pope means that the two most powerful people on the planet are Americans. That raises questions about American influence at a time when Trump's tariff wars and 'one way or the other' threats have upended eight decades of global order and sparked distrust among allies toward the United States. The prospect of too much American power in geopolitics is widely considered one reason that the Catholic Church had not elected an American to the papacy across the country's nearly 250-year history. Until, that is, the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago — Pope Leo XIV — was chosen last week to be the 267th pontiff. 'The irony of Leo's election is that many in the rest of the world will view it as a sign of hope — as an American who can speak for them rather than act against them,' said David Gibson, director of Fordham University's Center on Religion and Culture. Pope Leo is another kind of American on the world stage The shock and delight of the not-well-known cardinal's election soon shifted into robust discussion about how the top of the global pecking order could be populated by two Americans. Trump is known to not enjoy sharing attention or primacy, as his 'America first' foreign policy approach makes clear. American Catholics chose Trump over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. In one apparent appeal to them, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a pope during the days of mourning for Pope Francis, who died April 21. The move was not appreciated by some Catholics and Italians. Trump denied posting the image himself and said anyone who was offended 'can't take a joke.' He insisted that 'the Catholics loved it.' Even so, Trump wished Leo well and called it a 'great honor' that the new pope was American. Pope Leo, meanwhile, is in some senses a politician as well, with a calm manner and the approach of talking to his fellow cardinals in small groups before the conclave, they said. Though he was born in Chicago, Leo — then Prevost — spent two decades as a missionary in Peru before being appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 to lead the Vatican's powerful office that vets bishops around the world. He wouldn't be the first pope to wade into world politics. Pope John Paul II, for example, is rightly credited with helping bring down communism. But Leo enters the papacy having already criticized Vice President JD Vance, the highest-profile Catholic in American politics, on social media. Leo is at odds with the administration on such policy issues as immigration — Trump's signature issue — and the environment. Like Trump, Leo has turned his attention to the media. On Monday in Vatican City, he called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the calling for 'all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.' In contrast, Trump's approach to journalists has been combative, from the White House to the courts. Trump and Pope Leo are in 'different lanes' as leaders In early February, Leo — then still Prevost — shared an article from a Catholic publication with the headline, 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' It came days after Vance — a convert to Catholicism — discussed immigration in a Fox News interview by referencing a Christian tenet 'that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.' Leo, speaking Italian to thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, described a different vision for the Church and human relations: 'We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming.' Vance suggested the papacy is 'bigger' than politics and social media. 'It's very hard to fit a 2,000-year-old institution into the politics of 2025 America,' he said during an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, adding that 'it's better for all of us if we allow the church to be about the saving of souls.' In the rise of Trump at the same time as Leo, 'the gospel meets the culture,' said Steven Millies, director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Religion and politics, he added, are misaligned because they are 'oriented toward different purposes.' 'What both Francis and then Cardinal Prevost were doing was being bishops — teaching the Gospel, and reminding us the Gospel always is on the side of the poor, the afflicted, the suffering,' Millies said in an email. 'That's not Trump's lane as a president, a reality TV star or a businessman.' How American is Pope Leo's world view, anyway? Leo's decades in Peru — he is a citizen of both countries — can give him a broader view of humanity and power, and religion and politics, scholars say. Beyond the obvious personality differences with Trump, Leo is expected to wield power differently — to the neediest people first, for example, whereas Trump cut off American aid. Leo did not mention his American roots during his first speech, nor did he speak in English — a sign, some Vatican watchers said, of his global priorities. 'Even though it is factually true that Leo is the first U.S.-born pope, it makes more sense to think about him as the second pope of the Americas. This challenges 'America first' approaches and imagines the region more holistically, as Pope Francis did first, with its center of gravity in the global south,' said Raul Zegarra, assistant professor of Roman Catholic theological studies at Harvard Divinity School. 'All of this points to a pope that understands global leadership through dialogue instead of isolation; who understands power through service, instead of domination,' he said. 'It is hard to imagine a sharper contrast with the current administration in the U.S.' To hear some of the American cardinals tell it, Leo actually is not all that American in style or outlook, and his U.S. heritage played little if any part in his selection as pope. But Trump hovered over the proceedings. Six American cardinals who had participated in the conclave took the stage at a press conference as 'Born in the USA' and 'American Pie' blared from speakers. Then, one after another downplayed Leo's American roots. One quoted a phrase that was going around, that Leo is 'the least American of the American' cardinals. Several said they expected Leo to be a 'bridge-builder' with the Trump administration — the meaning of the Latin word 'pontiff.' Asked whether the cardinals elected Leo to offset Trump, several said no. 'I don't think at all my brother cardinals would have thought of him as a counterweight to any one person,' said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York. 'Obviously the cardinals were quite aware of things that have occurred in the United States, statements that have been made, political actions that have been taken,' said Wilton Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington. But the conclave's goal, he said, was choosing 'who among us' could strengthen the faith. Said Millies: 'It's not that the world should fear a U.S.-born pope. Quite the reverse: As 'the least American of the Americans,' he is untainted by our recent politics and may seem safer even as, still, he is an American intimately familiar with this nation's better angels.' ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
An American Pope Emerges as a Potential Contrast to Trump on the World Stage
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost's ascension to the papacy marks an extraordinary moment for American leadership on the world stage at a time when President Trump has transformed the country's reputation abroad and fueled distrust among longtime allies. But while two Americans now sit in positions of enormous global influence, Pope Leo XIV may offer the world a different view of U.S. values than Mr. Trump's America First approach, which he has executed through stiff tariffs, imperialist musings and vast cuts to foreign aid. When he was introduced to the world, the new pope — who speaks five languages and is a naturalized citizen of Peru — emphasized his pluralistic background, making a point of speaking in Italian (representing his new constituency) and Spanish (his old one). He spoke no English and made no reference to the United States, even as some Catholics in St. Peter's Square excitedly waved U.S. flags. (On Friday, he spoke briefly in English when he delivered his first homily.) There are indications that the first American pontiff disapproves of some of the Trump administration's hard-line stances. A social media account under his name has reposted messages critical of the president's positions on issues including immigration, gun control and climate change. In February, the account shared a link to an article in The National Catholic Reporter titled 'JD Vance Is Wrong: Jesus Doesn't Ask Us to Rank Our Love for Others.' 'We have this powerful moral voice that is going to be able to potentially confront the other most powerful American voice,' said Charlie Sykes, an anti-Trump conservative who is Catholic. 'Donald Trump bestrides the world as the ugly American, and now we have another prominent American who is able to confront him.' Mr. Sykes said Pope Leo's advocacy on behalf of migrants, in particular, could challenge Mr. Trump, who has pursued an aggressive campaign to deport them as quickly as possible. 'Part of Donald Trump's appeal is that he is the great champion of Christendom and now he's going to have to explain that to a fellow American who is the pope,' Mr. Sykes said. 'There are very few, if any, figures that have the platform and the voice of the Holy See.' John Prevost, the pope's brother, told The New York Times in an interview that he did not think his brother would shy away from voicing his disagreements with the president. 'I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration,' he said. 'I know that for a fact. How far he'll go with it is only one's guess, but he won't just sit back. I don't think he'll be the silent one.' Still, Vatican analysts say Pope Leo is more reserved than his predecessor and while they expect him to continue to defend migrants and the poor, some do not expect him to do so in as outspoken a manner as Pope Francis. Mr. Trump and his supporters have also found aspects of the new pope's background that excite them, including his ardent anti-abortion advocacy and his opposition to a government plan in Peru to add teachings on gender in schools. 'He's said and done some mixed things in the past,' said John Yep, the chief executive of Catholics for Catholics, a group that supports Mr. Trump. 'Let's see how he does. I don't want to rush to judgments right off the bat.' In the hours since Pope Leo's selection, the president has had only praise for the church's new leader. Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance both congratulated him in posts on social media and celebrated his American heritage. 'The president made his reaction to Pope Leo's announcement yesterday very clear,' Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Friday when asked about the pope's comments. 'He's very proud to have an American pope.' It is unclear if either Mr. Trump or Mr. Vance had been aware of Pope Leo's criticism of their policies, but some of the president's most strident supporters have already registered their displeasure. 'He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis,' Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who has persuaded Mr. Trump to fire some of his aides for not being loyal enough, wrote on X. 'Catholics don't have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican.' Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker and a devout Catholic, praised Pope Leo's commitment to the poor and said she hoped he could unite American Catholics across partisan divides. 'His values-based vision for the church is quite different from what we're seeing from some leaders, if you call them that, in our country, but I don't expect him to be engaged in a political debate with the president of the United States,' she said in an interview. Even though Pope Leo is an American by birth, he has spent most of his adult life outside the country, and now as the head of state of another nation, it remains to be seen what relationship he will have with the United States. Pope Francis, who hailed from Argentina, never returned to his place of birth after becoming the church's leader. American cardinals said at a news conference on Friday that Pope Leo's American identity was not a factor in his selection. When he was announced, the Vatican made no mention of his U.S. nationality, instead introducing him as the second pope from the Americas. Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., said the conclave was not seen as a 'continuation of the American election.' 'It wasn't an election conclave,' he said. 'It was a desire to strengthen the Christian faith among God's people.' Joe Donnelly, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See during the Biden administration, said Pope Leo's selection transcended any nationality, but would also serve to demonstrate American values on the world stage. 'I think Pope Leo will be a wonderful reflection of America, of Chicago and all of our hardworking people,' Mr. Donnelly said. 'He is a prototype of the American success story, working hard, studying hard and being kind to others.' The cardinals' selection of an American pope defied the prevailing belief that the church would not choose a leader from the global superpower. In the days leading up to the conclave, Catholic commentators speculated that Mr. Trump's disruption of the global political and economic order made a U.S.-born pope even more unlikely. Indeed, some spectators gathered in St Peter's Square on Thursday were bewildered when his identity emerged. 'Un Americano?' several muttered in Italian. 'I am surprised and disappointed,' said Adam Mocarski, 31, from Poland. The immediate disillusion was not directed at the new pope himself, but appeared to reflect how much Mr. Trump has roiled international sentiment toward America. 'Trump wants to divide,' said Francesca Elicio, 29, a theater producer from Rome. 'Trump has a negative effect not just on America, but on other countries. Perhaps the idea was to have an intermediary who can save not just the church, but the whole world.' Some analysts have posited that the cardinals selected Pope Leo precisely because of Mr. Trump. The president agitated many Catholics, even some of his allies, when he posted an A.I.-generated image of himself dressed as the pope after Pope Francis died. 'The president might well be right to claim credit for the selection, at least in part, given the photo he posted on social media,' said Rocco Palmo, a Catholic church analyst. 'The choice of Leo is the cardinals' way of saying, 'This is our process and we decide what is Catholic, not the White House.''
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Joseph Nye is gone – but his ideas are more urgent than ever — Phar Kim Beng
MAY 9 — Power comes in many guises. As political anthropologist James Scott insightfully argued, even the seemingly powerless are not wholly devoid of agency. Power is not merely the domain of tanks and treaties—it is also about influence: the ability to affect outcomes, shape preferences, and steer decisions, even subtly, without force. In this regard, the work of Professor Joseph Nye, who passed away recently at the age of 88, has never been more relevant. Nye, a titan in the field of international relations, gave the world a language to describe non-coercive forms of influence. His term, soft power, has since become a staple in both academic and policy circles, though few wield it with the nuance and intellectual clarity Nye brought to bear. As the global order experiences new forms of fragmentation, and as American leadership is increasingly questioned, the world mourns not only the loss of a great thinker — but also the loss of one of the last architects of a more optimistic, cooperative international order. Nye's academic career took flight in the early 1970s. Alongside fellow scholar Robert Keohane, he co-authored Power and Interdependence (1977), a foundational text in international political economy. Their concept of complex interdependence broke with the realist orthodoxy that dominated Cold War thinking. Rather than seeing states as isolated actors pursuing zero-sum interests, Nye and Keohane emphasized the dense webs of economic, political, and institutional connections that made war among developed powers increasingly costly and irrational. This was, in essence, a revival of liberal internationalist thought — what some scholars later termed commercial liberalism. But Nye's most impactful contribution emerged in 1991, with the publication of his book Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power. At the time, Paul Kennedy, a British-born historian at Yale, had shaken the American strategic community with his thesis of 'imperial overstretch.' Kennedy warned that the United States, like previous empires, was burdening itself with unsustainable military commitments. Nye challenged this view head-on. He argued that the US was not in decline, but rather in a unique position to lead the world through its capacity to attract rather than coerce. Joseph Nye coined the term 'soft power' and advised multiple presidents. — Picture via Facebook/Harvard Kennedy School Soft power, as Nye conceptualized it, was not about manipulation. It was about admiration. When other nations or peoples adopt your values, emulate your institutions, or seek to be associated with your way of life, they are being influenced — not because they are compelled, but because they are inspired. American democracy, popular culture, technological innovation, and educational institutions served as examples of this appeal. In a post-Cold War world, soft power offered a new strategic grammar — one rooted in the power of ideas, culture, and legitimacy. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, gave credence to Nye's optimistic vision. What Charles Krauthammer famously described as the 'unipolar moment' was not only defined by overwhelming US military dominance but also by the widespread adoption of American-style governance and markets. For a time, it seemed as though the American model had won. Yet Nye was also clear-eyed about the limits of soft power. In his later writings — most notably Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004) — he emphasised that influence built on attraction must not be tainted by what he called the 'three Cs': coercion, corruption, and co-optation. If any of these are involved, the power ceases to be 'soft' and becomes something more insidious. This moral dimension is what set Nye apart. He did not merely seek to describe international behaviour; he sought to provide a framework for ethical leadership. Nye also remained committed to policy impact. As Dean of Harvard's Kennedy School and later as Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Clinton, he worked to combine soft and hard power into what he termed smart power — a strategy that leverages both attraction and strength in appropriate balance. Together with his former colleague Richard Armitage at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Nye advocated for a pragmatic and principled US foreign policy grounded in legitimacy and alliances. Tragically, both Nye and Armitage passed away within weeks of each other. Their deaths come at a time when the United States appears to be moving away from their vision. Under President Donald Trump, now the 47th President of the United States, America's role as a convener, moral leader, and institutional anchor has eroded. What Nye called 'convenor power' — the ability to rally diverse actors toward common solutions — has diminished. In its place is a more transactional and confrontational posture, one that mistakes volume for vision. The irony is striking. Nye passed away at a moment when his ideas are most needed. The world is increasingly sceptical of American benevolence. The credibility of the US as a democratic beacon and global leader has been called into question, not just by adversaries but by long-time allies. Yet perhaps that is precisely why his legacy matters more than ever. Nye taught us that true leadership rests not on dominance, but on trust and persuasion. In a fragmented world longing for cooperation, his vision of soft — and smart — power remains a guiding light. * Phar Kim Beng, Professor of Asean Studies at IIUM, was a former Head Teaching Fellow of Historical Studies HS 12 originally pioneered by Professor Joseph Nye and Stanley Hoffmann. HS 12 is a major part of the Core Curriculum of Harvard on 'World History from 15th century to Post Cold War.' ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Navigating the Energy Future of Data Centers
Increasing adoption of cloud computing gave rise to the development of data centers, but the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and the increasing demand for digital services has resulted in an exponential surge of data center growth. The industry is in a transformative phase that will be marked by significant developments in infrastructure, technology and the regulatory landscape, accompanied by hundreds of billions of dollars in capital investments and, most likely, consolidation. COMMENTARY Though this growth brings many opportunities, the speed and scale of this growth introduces numerous challenges that must be carefully managed to prevent unintended adverse impacts. As we survey recent advancements, we will touch on legal support at the federal level, changing energy market dynamics, emerging data center technologies and the commercial and legal hurdles that market participants are encountering. Although the steady growth of data centers in the U.S. has been unfolding over the last several years, recent executive action from the federal government aims to further their expansion. On Jan. 14, 2025, the outgoing Biden Administration announced an executive order, 'Advancing United States Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure,' to address the energy capacity requirements of the rapidly expanding data center industry. The Biden executive order requires the Bureau of Land Management and Department of Energy (DOE) to designate at least five regions, based on geothermal power and thermal storage potential, for leasing geothermal projects, supporting data centers' growing energy demand. Further, the order required that by Feb. 28, 2025, the Departments of Energy and Defense identify three land sites for private construction and operation of AI data centers, which are required to achieve full operational capacity by Dec. 31, 2027. Want to learn more about how power demand from data centers is impacting the power generation sector? , and register to attend event in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 28. The summit is associated with POWER's event in Denver, happening Oct. 28-31. On Jan. 23, 2025, President Donald Trump enacted his own executive order, 'Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence,' which directs the president's advisors on science and technology, AI and crypto, and national security affairs to develop a plan to achieve U.S. global AI dominance. The Trump executive order seeks to create a more growth-oriented regulatory environment by suspending, revising or rescinding certain agency actions that are considered inconsistent with the order's goal of U.S. AI dominance. Further, recently appointed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chair Mark Christie announced that the agency initiated a rulemaking proceeding to review issues associated with the co-location of large load customers, such as data centers, at electric generation facilities. On Feb. 20, 2025, FERC unanimously decided to initiate the review to examine whether the tariff of a regional transmission organization should implement regulations to provide clarity, maintain grid reliability and ensure fair consumer costs. Though the rulemaking is focused on potential changes to the tariff, it will certainly have consequences for other wholesale markets subject to FERC regulation. In November 2024, FERC denied a filing by a Pennsylvania nuclear power company to amend its interconnection services agreement to facilitate delivery of energy to a data center. One-hundred eighty (180) zettabytes of data are predicted to be created during the coming year due in part to growth in AI and cloud computing. According to a recent report, AI has increased data center computational requirements by 20%, and by the end of this decade, overall data center power needs in the U.S. will be 8% of total power demand. A 2024 report by the DOE found that in 2023, data centers used approximately 4.4% of all U.S. electricity, and by 2028 are predicted to use between 6.7% and 12%, with total electricity use between 325 and 580 terawatt hours. This growth is expected to result in services provided by data centers becoming a $517.15 billion global market by 2030. This dramatic growth in electricity use will include a substantially higher demand for computing power as well as the need for new reliable power generation capacity to be brought online in short order. An autonomous intergovernmental organization forecasts a doubling of aggregate data center energy consumption by 2026. By 2030, data centers are predicted to account for 4% of worldwide electricity consumption. Further impacting the energy market dynamics are the distinct differences in energy usage patterns between hyperscalers and bitcoin mining operations. Hyperscalers operate vast data centers that support a wide range of digital services and applications. These data centers are designed for energy efficiency and often leverage advanced cooling technologies and renewable energy sources to mitigate their environmental footprint. They have high load factors and require ultra-reliable supply. In contrast, bitcoin mining operations' energy consumption can be intense, driven by the computational demands of solving cryptographic puzzles to validate transactions on the blockchain. Unlike data centers, however, bitcoing mining operations can adjust operations in response to energy market signals, allowing them to capitalize on available demand response programs. The different power demands of hyperscalers and bitcoin mining operations should be considered when planning for electric power grid stability and reliability. Some of the ways in which these power demands may be addressed include a mix of demand response and storage solutions, as well as dynamic pricing models, to encourage off-peak use of electricity. To address energy and sustainability concerns associated with the expanding data center industry, companies are implementing a variety of strategies. These include co-locating with existing and new generation assets and developing onsite generation capacity. Additionally, edge data centers–which are smaller and more mobile–could be strategically located in areas with more sustainability advantages. One example of these new strategies is a major technology company that is investing in large energy parks that will generate renewable power for the company's data centers. Also, that same company has partnered with a clean energy company and a climate-conscious investment firm to construct power plants adjacent to the company's data center facilities. Roughly 40% of a data center's total power is attributable to its extensive cooling systems. A major Chinese technology company has responded to the power demands of cooling infrastructure with a chilled water refrigeration approach, which its CEO says is 10% to 15% more efficient than air cooling. More than 20% of data centers now use liquid cooling, and in 2022, the global data center liquid cooling market was valued at approximately $2 billion. The compound annual growth rate of the data center liquid cooling market is predicted to reach 19% from 2024 to 2032. Other novel approaches to cooling efficiency include immersion cooling, which covers chips in non-conductive liquid, and direct-to-chip cooling, which transfers heat from chips directly such as a recently released propylene glycol-based direct-to-chip cooling fluid. Another approach involves reusing the heat rather than allowing it to dissipate, including for use in heating homes or swimming pools. One data center-focused company, conversely, has experimented with operating their facilities at higher temperatures. Data centers can also increase sustainability by using more energy-efficient chips. As data centers continue to proliferate, their substantial energy demands are straining existing power infrastructure and complicating energy procurement strategies. One of the primary commercial challenges facing the data center industry is the rising cost of electricity and the need for long-term energy contracts that can provide price stability. Data centers operate at a high power factor–usually greater than 95%–and uncertainty and volatility in energy prices can significantly impact operational costs. To mitigate these risks, some data center operators have entered into long-term contracts with renewable energy developers. Typically, these contracts must be sleeved through licensed retail energy providers or structured through specially designed tariffs. Utility companies also must consider the risk of building new generation and transmission infrastructure if the forecasted demand fails to materialize, stranding the infrastructure and leaving costs to be recouped from their existing customer base. In response, some utilities and power providers have taken drastic measures, such as requiring up to 85% up-front fee payments, imposing moratoriums on large data center projects, rejecting new requests for data centers outright, requiring minimum electricity payment terms (regardless of whether the contracted for amount of electricity is used) and increasing barriers to market entry by creating more stringent project approval processes and associated permitting requirements. State-level regulations, such as those requiring data centers to pay for grid improvements during construction, add another layer of complexity to energy contracting and compliance. The process for interconnecting with the grid has also become more cumbersome in recent years. In particularly power constrained areas, it may take a new data center development project up to 10 years before it can connect with the grid. The interconnection process involves multiple stages, including feasibility studies, impact assessments and regulatory approvals, each of which adds layers of complexity and time. Systems studies in areas with rapidly expanding data centers are becoming increasingly complex and require careful consideration of multiple factors that seem at times to be constantly in flux. These factors include power availability, grid stability and the integration of new energy sources, all of which must be meticulously analyzed to ensure reliable and efficient operation. Despite commercial, regulatory and legal hurdles, data center deal activity remains on the rise. From August 2024 to January 2025, the total data center deal value was $50 billion. As the need for data centers continues to increase, the demand for legal services and financial structuring for data center transactions will also continue to increase. The development, financing and construction of data centers and related energy infrastructure involve complex interrelationships among multiple contracts between a growing cast of market participants. Credit and debt providers will need to find ways to meet the financial requirements of an ever-changing industry landscape by offering flexible and creative financial products. Corporate transactions will continue to evolve as joint venture, partnership, investment and other novel operational structures are developed to build out data centers and related infrastructure. This will in turn lead to an increased level of mergers and acquisitions, majority and minority investments, divestitures and general corporate activity (due diligence, corporate and regulatory opinions, etc.) across the industry. Service providers in this space will need to stay nimble to help their clients navigate changing state and federal regulatory frameworks. The data center industry is at a pivotal moment, driven by rapid advancements in AI and cloud computing. Though the growth presents numerous opportunities, it also brings significant commercial and legal challenges. Addressing these issues requires a cooperative approach involving tech companies, utilities and regulators. Continued industry focus on sustainability and energy efficiency will be crucial to meet the challenges ahead. By leveraging advanced technologies and adopting sustainable practices, the industry can continue to support the digital economy and minimize its environmental impact. The future of data centers is bright, but it will require careful planning, investment and collaboration to ensure that this critical infrastructure can meet the needs of the digital age in a way that maximizes the benefits for all concerned. —Joshua Belcher is a partner at Holland & Knight, specializing in energy transactions and business law. Ram Sunkara is a partner at Holland & Knight, specializing in energy and infrastructure, M&A, and related transactions. Kyle Wamstad is a partner at Holland & Knight, specializing in energy transactions and representing clients in a wide range of energy matters. Nikolai Hood is a corporate attorney at Holland & Knight, specializing in corporate transactions. Blaine Remmick is a corporate attorney at Holland & Knight, specializing in corporate transactions.
