AI competition with China is a national security priority, and U.S. leadership depends on physical infrastructure. The material constraints behind its expansion are not always easy to see.
The UVA National Security Institute’s (NSI) U.S. Data Center Ecosystem Tracker brings this infrastructure into view, mapping data centers and exploring their relationships to energy, water, land-use policy, and other considerations. Its interactive interface lets users examine facility data alongside legislation and policy, offering a high-level view of the infrastructure ecosystem and the conditions that may shape its development.
Designed to be a living and customizable tool, the U.S. Data Center Ecosystem Tracker can evolve with feedback from researchers, community organizers, and others working to understand these impacts. The project will also provide a foundation for future comparative analysis of U.S. and Chinese capabilities as that work develops.
