Fast-moving artificial intelligence data-center operators are demanding hard-drive suppliers pack ever more storage into limited spaces. A bidding war for TDK's hard-disk drive parts business could determine the prospects of Japanese corporate icon Toshiba as well as who controls an increasingly lucrative artificial intelligence data-center storage market. Seagate Technology Holdings and delisted Toshiba are vying for TDK's magnetic-heads business in a deal that could be worth several billion dollars. The winning bidder would be able to expand in-house capabilities in the $23 billion hard-drive market that's been transformed by voracious AI data-center demand. Fast-moving AI data-center operators now are demanding hard-drive suppliers pack ever more storage into limited spaces. Prices are climbing and net income at Seagate and Western Digital -- which together control more than 90% of the global HDD market, according to research firm TrendForce -- has grown by multiples in recent quarters.

At the 2026 International Astronautical Congress in Turkiye, SpaceX unveiled a new visualisation of its plan to put a million satellites in space to power AI data centres. Gaza child's autoimmune condition triggered amid Israel's war Israel's deadline to close UK consulate in East Jerusalem nears How genocide in Gaza followed Bosnia's painful pattern

Google has been ordered to temporarily stop work on two datacentres in Finland after failing to do the necessary environmental impact assessments on its construction sites. The planned datacentres in Muhos and Kajanni are part of a €13bn (£11bn) project across multiple sites in northern Finland by the technology company amid huge demand for space to house online infrastructure. It comes after it emerged that Tuike Finland Oy, the company representing Google, had felled 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest in Muhos without completing an environmental impact assessment (EIA). In Kajaani, the company has reportedly been logging across just under 200 hectares (494 acres) of land. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation said the sites had been reduced to "sand", blaming the oversights on the "overheated" market for new datacentres.

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Why are data centres such a big deal in Scotland? Every time you ask ChatGPT a question, read a Google summary or make an online bank payment, a data centre is working behind the scenes. Now Scotland is part of a global race to build many more of them - on a massive scale. The explosion in artificial intelligence (AI) over the past few years has seen tech firms scrambling to build new hyperscale data centres, including some which would rank among the biggest in the world. Plans are in place to build at least 23 giant AI-powered data centres.

Digital infrastructure like data centers and AI computing systems face growing threats from adversaries including Iran, Russia and China. A new defense framework is needed.

Denver Kanowski believes the datacentre to be built to power Anthropic's Claude will go beyond harming the environment by disconnecting people from the things that really matter. Denver Kanowski believes the datacentre to be built to power Anthropic's Claude will go beyond harming the environment by disconnecting people from the things that really matter. Rural Queenslanders have seen gas projects come and go - but a 725-hectare datacentre poses a whole new level of'stupidity' Residents of Dalby may soon live beside a $31bn datacentre. The premier sees'opportunity' for the state - but others fear AI's global creep From the veranda on his bush block, Denver Kanowski has watched resources companies come and go from rural Queensland for 70 years. The home cost him $800, and lets him live how he likes, in nature.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, data center projects in rural areas could be eligible for major tax benefits starting next year. Some hyperscalers do not seem eager to take the free cash. Welcome back to Power Play! Each week, senior writer Molly Taft tackles a topic around this midterm season's biggest issue: data centers. If you've got a question or thought for the column, feel free to shoot Molly an email at [email protected] or reach them securely on Signal at mollytaft.76.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable Selects Look Up Say More Top creators, ranked Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Creator Playbook In My Bag AI at School Safety Net Versus Trending Now All Series The following content is brought to you by Mashable partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Since we all have cameras within reach at all times, our digital lives continue to grow as we capture photos and videos. All of that data has to go somewhere -- and you're probably paying for it with monthly cloud storage fees.