Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai push AI data centres in space as key players emerge

Data centres in space are the new target for all the influential names in Silicon Valley, with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai suddenly sounding strikingly aligned on the future of AI. 

What once seemed like a sci-fi experiment is quickly becoming a serious industry pivot as both leaders have argued that orbital AI hubs could eventually outperform Earth-bound facilities.

This week, Atreidis Managing Partner Gavin Baker reignited the conversation, saying in a podcast interview that near-zero cooling costs in space and laser-based satellite communication make orbital AI centres far more efficient than those on Earth. 

His comments came just days after Pichai revealed that Google plans to begin launching tiny racks of AI machines into space by 2027 as part of a long-term effort to harness uninterrupted solar energy.

Calling it one of Google’s biggest “moonshots,” Pichai said space-based computing could become the norm within a decade. 

Meanwhile, Musk has been even more aggressive, arguing that localised AI compute on satellites will deliver the lowest-cost AI bitstreams within three years.

Musk also floated the idea of building satellite factories on the Moon in the future.

As both Musk and Pichai push ahead, the race to control AI in orbit is officially underway, and it may reshape the entire industry.