AI Hyperscale Data Centres in New Zealand — Who Benefits? : 4 August 2026

Hyperscale AI Data Centres are the basis of the artificial intelligence boom worldwide, but incur a high energy and water cost. New Zealand has recently seen the approval of a hyperscale AI data centre, being built by Singaporean company Datagrid near Invercargill, which has been lauded by the government as an upgrade to New Zealand's digital infrastructure, and providing investment and eighty jobs into New Zealand. However, many have raised concerns that these will take large amounts of New Zealand's resources, and that consents have been given with little public consultation. I spoke to Angus Dowell, an economic geographer from the University of Auckland’s School of Environmental Science, about who is likely to benefit from the approval of hyperscale AI data centres in New Zealand and what part New Zealand could play in the new AI landscape.