Space: the final frontier of AI infrastructure

Space: the final frontier of AI infrastructure

From Equity by TechCrunch, Rebecca Bellan, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, Sean O'Kane, Theresa Loconsolo

April 3, 2026 · 34 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the race to build data centers in space for AI infrastructure and the implications of recent funding rounds and user backlash in the tech industry.

Tech companies are racing to build data centers in space, pitching orbital compute as the next frontier for AI infrastructure, even as the technical and economic realities remain far from clear. Add in OpenAI’s massive $122 billion round and Bluesky’s latest AI backlash, and the message is clear: The future of AI is being shaped as much by ambition and hype as it is by real-world constraints. On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane unpack these massive capital bets, user backlash, and off-world compute plans along with Whoop’s major valuation and the literal downfall of robot Olaf. Listen to the full episode to hear about: OpenAI’s $122 billion fundraise and what its near-trillion-dollar valuation says about expectations for AI. Whoop’s $575 million raise and the shift toward “wearables 2.0” (and what happens to all that data). Bluesky’s AI-powered feed builder and why it triggered a major user backlash. The rise of data centers in space and whether they are financially or physically feasible. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at…

People in this episode

Hosts: Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha

Topics covered

  • AI infrastructure
  • data centers in space
  • OpenAI funding
  • wearables
  • user backlash

Keywords

  • OpenAI
  • Bluesky
  • Whoop
  • robot Olaf
  • wearables 2.0

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Olaf, OpenAI, Whoop, Bluesky

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