BlackRock’s Larry Fink Warns AI Delays Could Leave Technology in Hands of Big Companies

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Issues Warning

"More Infrastructure Is Needed to Democratize AI"

BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink warned that continued opposition to data center construction and delays in building artificial intelligence infrastructure could leave AI in the hands of large corporations. He argued that computing capacity must be expanded quickly to lower the cost of using the technology and broaden access.

Speaking at the Canadian Investment Summit in Toronto on September 15, Fink said AI would remain the domain of large companies if infrastructure buildout continues to lag. Without enough new data centers and power facilities, shortages would drive up the cost of computing resources, leaving only well-capitalized companies able to use them. The faster more capacity is built, he said, the more AI can be democratized and made available to more people.

The remarks come as some in the AI industry argue that development should slow in the name of safety. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently said leading AI model developers should establish shared safety standards and moderate the pace of technological progress to reduce the risk of catastrophic harm. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, xAI CEO Elon Musk and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis also supported that view.

Resistance from local communities is also hindering the expansion of AI infrastructure. Residents concerned about electricity costs, water use and noise have increasingly opposed new data center projects, raising the burden on developers.

Fink said such resistance, if it delays supply growth, would reduce opportunities to use AI for small and medium-size businesses and individuals that cannot absorb the high costs. How quickly the AI industry can expand data centers and power infrastructure while improving safety is set to shape access to the technology and the competitive landscape.

Oh Se-song, Hankyung.com reporter sesung@hankyung.com