Mechanism · Remote detection of data centres
Sources
On this page
- BC. Krawec (2026). Tracking Hyperscale AI Data Center Growth with Satellite Imagery. Federation of American Scientists. Source recordSupports: observable features; imagery sources and limits; capacity estimate example; cannot see inside; automated detection conceptual and its data needs; IAEA analogy; future sensors · Methodology; Opportunities and Challenges; Case Studies 1-2; Recommendations; Opportunities for Further Research
- CEpoch AI (2025). Introducing the Frontier Data Centers Hub. Epoch AI. Source recordSupports: public dataset; cooling-equipment-based capacity method; coverage figures; licence · announcement post
- BEpoch AI (2026). AI Data Centers Documentation – Methodology. Epoch AI. Source recordSupports: how sites are found; reported accuracy of IT-power estimates; estimated coverage of global AI computing capacity (provider-reported) · Coverage; Cooling model; Analysis
- CB. Halstead & T. Larsen (2026). Covert AI Projects. AI 2040. Source recordSupports: heat-balance argument; detection signals; confidence in locating non-concealed data centres; concealment strategies; intuition-based detection probabilities and their conditions; limits for small projects; undeployed chips · detection sections; direct observation of AI datacenters; table of intuition-based detection probabilities by site size and number of sites
- BM. Baker et al. (2025). Verifying International Agreements on AI: Six Layers of Verification for Rules on Large-Scale AI Development and Deployment. RAND Corporation. Source recordSupports: satellite imagery, OSINT, supplier information and financial audits as supplementary mechanisms; national intelligence layer · §4.3, §4.4
- BS. Ansari (2026). Hardware-Level Governance of AI Compute: A Feasibility Taxonomy for Regulatory Compliance and Treaty Verification. arXiv. Source recordSupports: infrared imaging can detect undeclared data centres; power alone cannot separate AI from other HPC · §3.1 (M4)
- CL. Heim & K. Pilz (2024). Limitations of Satellite Imagery Analysis for AI-Specific Data Centers. Lennart Heim's blog. Source recordSupports: AI data centres not visually distinguishable from other data centres (2024); AI compute housed in existing campuses · blog post