The Heavy Material of the Digital Age: The Foundations of Cloud and AI

This article challenges the widespread belief that the modern economy is dematerialized. The author analyzes the "dematerialization paradox," demonstrating that behind the ethereal facade of cloud computing and AI algorithms lies a powerful, energy-intensive infrastructure based on quartz, copper, and lithium. The text argues that the energy transition toward Net Zero is not an escape from matter, but a radical change in its composition, requiring many times greater mineral consumption than systems based on fossil fuels. In the new geopolitical balance of power, real power rests with those who control the physical processes of extraction and refining. This is a sobering look at the material costs of digitization, reminding us that every technological innovation has a solid, geological foundation.