BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Warns That Delayed Data Center Construction Drives Inflation

Delays in constructing vital data centers risk driving up computing costs and threatening broader economic growth as the global demand for artificial intelligence accelerates, according to BlackRock Inc. Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Berlin Global Dialogue event, Fink emphasized that failing to expand physical digital infrastructure quickly enough carries significant economic consequences. He pointed out that the current cost of computing remains exceptionally high, and that rapidly scaling up the number of operating data centers is the primary mechanism to increase computing capacity and reduce expenses.

“If we don’t build out these data centers, it is actually more inflationary because the cost of compute is so high right now,” Fink stated during a television interview. “And the faster we can build out more data centers, the more compute we have, the faster we can bring down the cost.”

The 73-year-old financial executive cautioned that any intentional or logistical slowdown in the adoption and expansion of artificial intelligence technology would ripple across the broader economy. Slowing down this technological buildout, he noted, ultimately jeopardizes sustained economic momentum.

Fink’s recent remarks build on previous commentary regarding the rapid commercial deployment of artificial intelligence. While some market figures have raised alarms about speculative excess, Fink has previously dismissed fears of an artificial intelligence bubble, attributing market strains instead to underlying supply shortages. He has consistently maintained that actual demand growth has significantly exceeded initial expectations, warning that persistent delays in infrastructure development could ultimately restrict public and commercial access to advanced computing capabilities.