"World of DaaS" Azeem Azhar of Exponential View - AI, hyperscalers, reshaping US GDP
Nov 18, 2025
Azeem Azhar, founder of Exponential View and author of The Exponential Age, dives deep into the intricacies of AI and the economy. He clarifies why he believes there isn't an AI bubble just yet and explores how data centers are surprisingly boosting US GDP growth. Azeem discusses the critical role of energy in AI development and the financial strategies AI firms use to thrive. He also examines funding risks and the long-term views of sovereign wealth funds on AI, shedding light on future investment strategies and the macroeconomic landscape.
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Intelligence, Energy, Capital Flywheel
- Major technological transforms run on a feedback loop between intelligence, energy, and capital.
- AI is the latest turn of that flywheel driving rapid investment and change.
Raise Capital To Meet Real Demand
- If demand is real, entrepreneurs will use vendor financing and other creative funding to scale quickly.
- Expect messy but necessary deals to secure capacity when growth matters.
GPU Payback Vs. Economic Life
- GPUs often pay back in 18–24 months which makes the capex economics compelling.
- Uncertainty remains about effective economic life beyond year two for top-tier training workloads.
