Part 1: The AI Trap#

The convergence of exponential AI compute demand and linear grid capacity constraints, creating single points of failure across energy, finance, and critical infrastructure by 2027.

This section establishes five interconnected traps:

  1. The Energy Chokepoint - 12x compute growth meets 5-10 year grid upgrade timelines
  2. The Algorithmic Cascade - Financial homogenization creating millisecond-speed systemic risk
  3. The Financial Exclusion - Automated de-banking with no human recourse
  4. The Biophysical Reality - Thermodynamic constraints that make centralized AI scaling physically impossible
  5. The Accountability Gap - Liability vacuum where no one is responsible when AI fails
Backward Executive Summary The 2027 Cluster Forward
The Gator - Hidden Energy Demand

The Gator: The hidden, exponentially growing energy demand lurking beneath civilizational complexity