Uplink: AI, Data Center, and Cloud Innovation Podcast
Europe Can't Find 5 Gigawatts. So It Gets Creative
The AI infrastructure race is often measured in gigawatts and billion-dollar campuses. But in Europe, the story looks very different. In this episode of Uplink, Michael Reid sits down with Ben Baldieri, Founder of The GPU, to explore how Europe's power constraints, fragmented regulation, and limited grid capacity are forcing a new generation of AI infrastructure strategies. Rather than chasing hyperscale alone, the market is increasingly turning to smaller, distributed data centers positioned closer to where inference workloads actually run. Ben explains why securing power has become one of the biggest competitive advantages in AI infrastructure, how GPU cloud providers are thinking about capital, contracts, and deployment risk, and why projects that look attractive on paper don't always succeed in practice. The conversation also explores the industry's shift from training-focused clusters toward inference-driven infrastructure, the economics of liquid cooling and high-density deployments, and how token-based pricing models could fundamentally change the way AI is consumed. A fascinating discussion on European AI infrastructure, GPU clouds, data center investment, and why the future of AI may depend less on building bigger campuses, and more on building smarter ones. Uplink explores the future of connectivity, cloud, and AI, with the people shaping it. Hosted by Michael Reid, we dive into cutting-edge trends with top industry experts. Follow the show, leave a rating, and tell us what you think. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.megaport.com/uplink/ Watch video episodes on YouTube: https://mp1.tech/uplink-on-youtube Learn more about Megaport: https://www.megaport.com/
