The Data Center is the New Unit of Compute: Crusoe CEO Chase Lochmiller

The AI industrial revolution demands a fundamental shift in infrastructure, moving beyond GPU clusters to prioritize the physical foundations of power, steel, and specialized data center construction. As the data center evolves into the new unit of compute, achieving massive scale requires an energy-first strategy, exemplified by leveraging stranded renewable resources in regions like West Texas. Chase Lochmiller, CEO of Crusoe, highlights that overcoming supply chain bottlenecks—such as long lead times for electrical switchgear—necessitates vertical integration and domestic manufacturing to accelerate deployment. These AI factories, characterized by extreme power densities and advanced liquid cooling, represent a departure from traditional data center models, requiring complex, purpose-built facilities to support the next generation of high-performance computing. This transition underscores the critical role of physical infrastructure in sustaining the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.