09 · Hardware & Infrastructure
TCO
Total Cost of Ownership
The full lifetime cost of running AI infrastructure — not just chips, but power, cooling, networking, operations. Power in particular has become a defining constraint, linking AI directly to energy markets and grid capacity.
Concrete example
The chips might be the smaller line item; powering and cooling them for years is what dominates TCO.
Why it matters
Why AI is now an energy story — hyperscalers are signing nuclear deals to secure power.