The physical infrastructure of the modern internet is increasingly defined by a convergence of subsea cable networks, oil extraction routes, and artificial intelligence. With over 600 active and planned underwater cables spanning more than 1.5 million kilometers, the majority of this subsea infrastructure is owned and operated by a small group of US tech monopolies, specifically Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. These companies currently own roughly over 75 percent of the world’s subsea cables, giving them significant control over the physical flow of global information.
Bottom Line
The global internet is not a purely virtual space; it is a physical network of cables and pipelines owned largely by US tech giants. This infrastructure links the expansion of AI directly to oil extraction and regional geopolitics, creating a system where digital data flow and physical energy resources are inextricably linked.”,
The Intersection of Digital and Energy Infrastructure
This digital nervous system is deeply intertwined with traditional energy systems. In the United States, natural gas systems are increasingly used to power data centers, with AI being utilized to optimize wellbore drilling tools and environmental assessments for these resources.
Geopolitical interests further complicate this infrastructure. The growing importance of subsea cables has made them central to the military and economic policies of major powers like the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently updated the Communications and Technology Transparency Act to include China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran on a control list for malicious technology and equipment. This move follows actions by Iran restricting access through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical point for both global oil shipping and subsea cable infrastructure where the US has invested significantly.
Regional Investments and Colonial Legacies
Investment in these technologies is concentrated in specific regions, notably the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Companies including Alibaba, Amazon, IBM, Google, and Microsoft maintain large investments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which host numerous data center and cloud projects. In 2025, a $600 billion investment commitment in technological and defense systems was signed between the US and Saudi Arabia. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund launched HUMAIN, an Arabic-first language model with full computing infrastructure located within the kingdom. This move positions Saudi Arabia as an AI exporter, reinforcing the cycle of US investment and control over global AI infrastructure.
The source notes that much of this subsea infrastructure is laid along historical trans-Atlantic slave ship and oil extraction routes, which the report describes as being algorithmically bound by a legacy of colonial violence. This is evident in regions like the Mediterranean, where Israel relies on oil imports and the Leviathan Natural Gas field—the largest natural gas reservoir in the Mediterranean off the coast of the Gaza Strip. The source characterizes this as a colonial project where energy policy is contingent on sustaining US-backed AI infrastructure.\n
Data Sovereignty and Local Impact
In areas under occupation or heavy reliance on foreign-funded digital infrastructure, such as the Palestinian people, the source suggests that individuals are frequently excluded from global conversations and decisions impacting their livelihoods.
Verified Source Evidence
Screenshot of the Internet Infrastructure Map in 2026, from kmcd.dev .
Source: Global Voices — Subsea cables and oil pipelines: The infrastructure linking AI, empire, and occupation – Global Voices.
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Source Note
Source note: Source material: Global Voices; document: Subsea cables and oil pipelines: The infrastructure linking AI, empire, and occupation – Global Voices.
Source Licensing
- Licensed under CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Attribution: Mong Palatino, Global Voices — original story: https://globalvoices.org/2026/09/16/singapores-permit-regime-undermines-the-citizens-right-to-protest/. Changes were made by Aurora.
Sources
1 independent organization · 1 source document. Links open the original material.
