Thread

AI needs $6T in annual revenue to justify data centre boom

222 points · 335 comments · Betelbuddy

jollyllama · 1790713577 · focus · HN ↗
What's total US annual payrolls? I don't think it's beyond the order of $20 trillion. So they're going to have to replace something on the order of magnitude of half of all jobs OR "create" the difference, in terms of jobs going to AI.
1. hirako2000 · 1790713854 · focus · HN ↗
  It's less* than that, and if AI replaces workers at that scale it will create such a problem* the system would fall before these companies manage to demonstrate they escaped bankruptcy.
  *<a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2026/09/22/how-americas-tax-code-subsidises-artificial-intelligence/" rel="nofollow">https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2026/09/22/how-americ...
2. ai-x · 1790714746 · focus · HN ↗
  Why are you restricting it to US?
3. missedthecue · 1790715291 · focus · HN ↗
  1. This is global, not USA only
  2. Global GDP will be ~$165T by 2031
  3. This is not $6T of ChatGPT subscription revenue. The article actually specifically says of the $6T, $200-$400B would be subscription and AI app revenue in 2031.
  4. The $6T figure is AI "economic enablement". Drugs, robotics, research, coding, manufacturing, materials, etc...
  1. jollyllama · 1790716710 · focus · HN ↗
    Fair point about global vs US as your sibling notes.
    > 2. Global GDP will be ~$165T by 2031
    But GDP is a very different thing than payrolls.

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