Kevin Hassett says US economy can thrive despite data center slowdown

The White House economic adviser argues growth doesn't depend on data center construction, even as the administration credits AI infrastructure as a key growth driver Kevin Hassett wants Americans to know the economy doesn’t need every new server farm to get built. The White House adviser said the US economy can thrive even if data center growth slows. What Hassett is arguing Hassett, who directs the White House National Economic Council, has been one of the loudest voices tying US growth to private investment in AI. Data centers sit at the center of that pitch. His own numbers show how big the bet is. Hassett has estimated that AI investment in the US could reach $10.3 trillion between 2025 and 2032. That works out to an annual average of 3.63% of GDP. Put plainly, roughly three and a half cents of every dollar the economy produces each year would flow into AI buildout under that estimate. Hassett has paired those projections with an upbeat growth forecast. He has held to a GDP growth outlook of around 4%, assuming no unexpected external shocks hit the economy. He has also pushed back on fears that the AI trade is fragile. Despite recent swings in tech stocks, Hassett said the sec...