The Hidden Metal Behind the AI Boom: Why Data Centers Are the Next Copper Crisis

By Shai Dzindzihashvili
Founder, Bridge Copper

The world is fixated on silicon. In the race to build the infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence, headlines are dominated by GPUs, chip shortages, and the meteoric rise of companies like NVIDIA. But while silicon is the brain of AI, copper is its nervous system.

As "Hyperscalers" race to build campuses capable of gigawatt-scale computing, they are colliding with a physical reality: You cannot build a data center without massive amounts of copper. And right now, the world isn't digging enough of it.

The Math of the Machine

AI is not just code; it is heavy infrastructure. Unlike traditional cloud storage, AI training clusters are power-hungry beasts that generate immense heat.

Recent industry analysis reveals the staggering material intensity of this shift:

• Intensity Spikes: Traditional data centers require roughly 10–15 tons of copper per megawatt (MW) of power capacity. AI-ready facilities? They demand ~27 tons per MW.

• Massive Volume: A single hyperscale facility can consume over 2,100 tons of copper for electrical grounding, busbars, and high-density cooling systems.

• The Aggregate Demand: Analysts project that AI data centers will consume 400,000 to 572,000 tons of copper annually over the next decade.

The Supply Disconnect

This demand shock is arriving at the worst possible moment. The International Energy Agency (IEA) and analysts at Wood Mackenzie have warned of a 304,000-tonne copper deficit as early as 2025.

We are already seeing "Hyperscalers" outbidding utility grids for transformers and cabling. The bottleneck is no longer just about manufacturing capacity; it is about raw ore availability. With traditional mines facing declining ore grades and political instability, the supply chain is fragile.

Bridge Copper: Feeding the Grid

The wire rod and cathode manufacturers who supply these data centers are only as secure as their raw material intake. This is where Bridge Copper steps in.

We are not waiting for new mines to come online in 2035. We are delivering 50,000 tons of Copper Concentrate monthly today.


• Source Security: Our supply flows directly from Chile and Arizona—jurisdictions that offer the stability required for critical tech infrastructure.

• Scale for Growth: With 600,000 tons of annualized capacity, we provide the baseload volume that smelters need to keep up with the tech sector's "inelastic" demand.

The Bottom Line

The AI revolution will be powered by electricity, but it will be built with copper. For smelters and manufacturers, the risk isn't the price—it's availability.

At Bridge Copper, we ensure that the "nervous system" of the future economy stays connected.

Secure your raw material flow.
Contact us for spot availability and long-term partnerships.