The BuildJuly 9, 2026via Financial Times Technology
The century-old device choking the world’s AI push
Why it matters
Physical transformer supply chains—not AI models—are becoming the critical constraint on data centre scaling. As power demands explode, electrical infrastructure, not silicon, is now the gating factor for AI deployment at scale.
Key signals
- Transformer supply chains identified as critical bottleneck for AI data centre buildout
- Surging data centre power demands creating infrastructure strain
- Published July 2026 — suggests near-term, real infrastructure crisis
The hook
NOBODY TALKING: Everyone obsesses over GPU scarcity. Nobody is talking about the century-old bottleneck strangling AI infrastructure.
Surging data centre power demands are intensifying pressure on transformer supply chains