Tech Diplomacy Now: New York Bans New Data Centers for a Year
In response to concerns over hiked electricity costs and stressed water supplies, New York recently became the first U.S. State to impose a moratorium on the construction of new data centers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tech Diplomacy Updates
Top News of the Week
Latest News
Technology Strategy and Policy
Korea Corner
Artificial Intelligence
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Critical Minerals
Synthetic Biology
Quantum
Robotics
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Energy and Climate
Opinion and Commentary
The Last Word
The New AI Doctrine: Embrace Trusted Tech or Accept Coercion
A new AI doctrine calls on democracies to embrace trusted technology, shared standards and alliances—or risk coercive dependence.
Opinion: by Roberto Baldoni, Senior Advisor on Technology and Cybersecurity Policy to the Italian Ambassador and Len Khodorkovsky, Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue.
Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy Introduces Seven New Certificate Tracks Across Its Tech Diplomacy Academy Courses
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue announced today seven new MicroSeries Certificate Programs that group its Tech Diplomacy Academy courses into specialized paths, each leading to an Advanced Certificate from Purdue University and the Krach Institute.
Ambassador Julie Chung joins the Krach Institute as a Senior Advisor
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is honored to welcome Ambassador Julie Chung as a new Senior Advisor. Ambassador Chung brings nearly three decades of diplomatic experience across the Indo-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Keith Krach, Freedom, and America’s Next 250 Years
Keith Krach’s career in business, diplomacy and civic leadership centers on renewing trust and freedom for America’s next 250 years.
New Korea Trusted Tech & Trade Fellow
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is honored to welcome Paul Stahle as our new Korea Trusted Tech & Trade Fellow. Paul’s leadership and experience will help further expand upon Purdue University and Krach Institute’s growing partnership with the Republic of Korea.
Top News of the Week – New York bans new Data Centers for a Year
On Tuesday, New York became the first U.S. State to impose a moratorium on the construction of new data centers over the concern that these data centers will increase electricity costs and stress water supplies. The halt is in place for one year on data centers that use 50 megawatts or more.
Key Points:
New York State will lift the moratorium once the state has completed a new set of environmental impact regulations.
Other states, including Texas, are considering similar data center freezes.
The federal government has been unable to develop national level guidelines and President Trump has signaled that he may use national security authorities to push through further construction.
Both Russia and China appear to be pursuing information warfare to spur additional public rejection of data centers and artificial intelligence.
More on Background:
New York becomes the first state to impose a data center moratorium – Reuters, July 14, 2026
New York bans data center construction for a year, rattling AI industry – Ars Technica, July 14, 2026
New York won’t build big data centers for a year as it weighs energy and climate risks – AP, July 14, 2026
China, Russia and Others Seek to Inflame Debate Over A.I. Data Centers – NYTs, July 9, 2026
Greg Abbott calls for prohibition on data center construction in rural Texas neighborhoods – Houston Chronicle, June 30, 2026
China’s AI Data Center Boom: How it Compares to the US – Newsweek, June 26, 2026
China unifies tech sector to build grid-free orbiting satellite AI data centers, challenging Elon Musk’s SpaceX — Beijing’s forced chip and satellite alliance announced a week before Musk’s AI1 reveal – Tom’s Hardware, June 20, 2026
Latest News
America’s data-centre backlash puts the AI boom at risk – The Economist, June Explosions heard across Iran, state media reports, after UAE oil tankers hit in Hormuz strait – The Guardian, July 14, 2026
UAE says Iranian missiles struck oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz, one sailor killed – Reuters, July 13, 2026
Ukraine hits Russian tankers in Sea of Azov – Politico, July 12, 2026
Why China Fired a Long-Range Missile into the Pacific – NYTs, July 7, 2026
Chinese lidar maker with Nvidia ties accused of being cyber risk for U.S. – CNBC, July 7, 2026
The Trump Administration Is Lifting Its Export Controls on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable AI Models – Wired, June 30, 2026
Technology Strategy and Policy
US National Science Foundation to ban projects with flagged Chinese institutions – SCMP, July 14, 2026
How China Is Winning the Global Intellectual Property Race – National Interest, July 13, 2026
Xi to Debut at China’s Flagship AI Summit as US Rivalry Heats Up – Bloomberg, July 13, 2026
Trump will oppose heavy US AI regulation, says outgoing tech adviser – FT, July 3, 2026
What would multilateral ‘AI arms control’ look like? – FT, June 30, 2026
America Needs More Weapons. JPMorgan Wants to Add Its Firepower. – WSJ, June 29, 2026
The World’s Great Powers Are Learning They Have Limits – WSJ, June 9, 2026
Korea Corner
S. Korea flags record 2027 budget of over $530 billion as AI chip boom lifts revenues – Reuters, July 13, 2026
Chip fabs, AI data centers put Korea's nuclear policy back in focus – Korea Times, July 13, 2026
South Korea chip maker SK hynix rides AI boom raising $26.5bn in huge US listing – The Guardian, July 10, 2026
SK hynix lists ADRs on Nasdaq in record $26.5 billion offering – Bloomberg, July 10, 2026
US, Japan and South Korea sign trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation on SMR deployments – U.S. Department of State, July 7, 2026
South Korea disputes US congressional report claiming discrimination against Coupang – AP, July 2, 2026
Artificial Intelligence
Companies turn to Chinese AI models to cut costs – FT, July 12, 2026
Beijing is looking at curbing overseas access to China’s top AI models, sources say – Reuters, July 7, 2026
Inside the secret AI war between Silicon Valley and China – WaPo, July 6, 2026
China’s new unfiltered AI Is a hacker’s budget dream – Cyber News, June 30, 2026
Commerce Department Extends Export Controls to Advanced AI Models; Authorizes Release to Specific Trusted Partners – Mayer Brown, June 30, 2026
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
China to make car connectivity mandatory as US moves to tighten ban – SCMP, July 13, 2026
What Happens if China Hacks the US Water Supply? I Went to a Secret War Game to Find Out – Wired, July 8, 2026
Suspected Chinese espionage group used a Roundcube exploit chain to burrow into universities – Cyberscoop, July 7, 2026
China’s Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo cut 2026 smartphone targets again: sources – Nikkei Asia, June 30, 2026
Rocket Lab is buying Iridium’s satellite network for $8 billion to take on SpaceX – The Verge, June 29, 2026
SpaceX, Charter Discussed Mobile Phone Partnership in US – Bloomberg, June 26, 2026
Critical Minerals
China Expands Strategic Mineral Toolkit with New Investment Firm – Bloomberg, July 12, 2026
China dominates the rare earth elements industry, but this American company hopes to challenge China’s grip – CBS News, July 5, 2026
Canada, Japan join hands to reduce dependency on China’s rare-earth minerals – Interesting Engineering, July 4, 2026
Synthetic Biology
U.S. Biotechs Are Keeping More Secrets to Beat Copycats in China – WSJ, July 9, 2026
Biotech’s China problem: An issue of national security or economic value for the US? – Biospace, July 2, 2026
Beijing’s Asymmetric Securitization of Genomic Data – Jamestown Foundation, June 25, 2026
Quantum
PsiQuantum has a plan to make a massive quantum computer out of light – MIT Technology Review, July 14, 2026
Scientists’ Side Hustle? Using AI and Quantum Computing to Generate New Peptides – Wired, July 12, 2026
Washington’s quantum reality check – Politico, July 8, 2026
Shanghai sets aside $14.73 million for quantum computing hub – Interesting Engineering, July 6, 2026
Robotics
China wants to solve the hardest problem in robotics – making hands – The Guardian, July 5, 2026
SKF Forms Robotics JV With Leaderdrive in China – WSJ, July 2, 2026
UBTech’s lifelike humanoid robots built for companionship arriving in homes across China – SCMP, July 1, 2026
Unitree’s Impossible Trajectory Is Still Overlooked – SemiAnalysis, June 8, 2026
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Space Technology is Redefining Maritime Security in South Asia – The Diplomat, July 11, 2026
China Successfully Launches Reusable Rocket in a Win for Space Program – WSJ, July 10, 2026
Making history! China lands rocket during an orbital launch for 1st time ever – Space.com, July 10, 2026
With a Successful Rocket Launch, China Clears a Key Hurdle in Race with SpaceX – NYTs, July 10, 2026
Shooting Starlink: The “no limits” partnership between Russia and China is taking aim at Elon Musk – The Insider, July 9, 2026
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
China blocks exports of helium, key for chipmaking, as Iran war squeezes supply – AP, July 10, 2026
Has China obtained the world’s most important machine? – The Economist, July 5, 2026
How a Niche Technology Became a Choke Point for A.I. – NYTs, June 26, 2026
Inside Micron’s Attempts to Reindustrialize the Dying American Heartland – Pirate Wars, June 22, 2026
Energy and Climate
Australians ‘going gangbusters’ on Chinese batteries in renewable energy shift – FT, July 12, 2026
China is Supercharging a Rooftop Solar Boom in the Philippines – Bloomberg, July 12, 2026
Meet the Battery Startup Taking on China’s Giants – Wired, July 10, 2026
How Trump Helped China Make America’s Cheapest EV – Wired, July 2, 2026
CATL eyes 12,000 Wh/kg theoretical limit lithium-air EV battery to end range anxiety – Interesting Engineering, June 3, 2026
Opinion and Commentary
We Returned from China. We Realized Our Century’s Biggest Challenge. – Eric Schmidt and Selina Xu, NYTs, July 11, 2026
America Was Being Played. The Bessent Doctrine Says Those Days Are Over. – Mohamed A. El-Erian, NYTs, July 7, 2026
The U.S. needs military software. Democrats should respect the providers. – Max Baucus, Politico, July 6, 2026
Data centres are a crucial test of US industrial resolve – Josh Zoffer, FT, July 3, 2026
The Unstoppable Force of A.I. Hype Is Meeting One Immovable Fact – Zeynep Tufekci, NYTs, June 30, 2026
Washington and Pharma Are Helping China Win – Senator Debbie Stabenow, June 24, 2026
The US Shipbuilding Industry Is Not Ready for a War – Arjun Vohra, Geopolitical Monitor, June 23, 2026
The Last Word
“Our task is clear: to manage the growing energy demands of digitalisation while unlocking the immense opportunities that innovation places within our reach.”
— Dan Jørgensen, European Union Commissioner for Energy and Housing
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
Technology is the crossroads and main battlefield of the four-dimensional diplomatic, economic, cultural and military contest between freedom and authoritarianism. Technology is either grounded in trusted democratic principles—respect for the rule of law, human rights, property, transparency, sovereignty and the environment—in order to advance freedom, or it is weaponized by authoritarian regimes and malign actors in order to control and oppress.
We believe technology must advance freedom.
The nonpartisan Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the preeminent global authority on Tech Statecraft, a new model of diplomacy that integrates high-tech strategies with foreign policy and national security tools to ensure trusted technology is used to advance freedom. We focus on rallying our allies, leveraging the innovation of the private sector, and amplifying democratic values based on trust, leveraged by Purdue University’s strength in innovation, deep expertise in technology, and global prowess in educating transformational leaders.
We hope you find Tech Diplomacy Now a valuable resource on the emerging critical issue of technological diplomacy and its impact on our way of life.