IREN co-founder and co-CEO Daniel Roberts told Bloomberg that a new one-gigawatt AI data center starting construction today may not operate until 2030.
Roberts stated the primary AI expansion bottleneck is shifting from securing chips, such as Nvidia's, to physical infrastructure challenges. These challenges include power availability and grid connectivity.
Utilities require 18 to 24 months just to assess power capacity for a potential site. This assessment represents only the first step in a multi-year development process.
This timeline advantages companies with pre-secured land, power, and infrastructure as AI computing demand continues to surge.