Malaysia is betting on data centers to boost its economy. But experts warn they come at a price.

Johor in Malaysia is being transformed by the construction of giant data centers. The government hopes that the billions in investment as part of a global artificial intelligence boom will help it get rich by modernizing its economy. But experts warn that data centers come at a price: They guzzle land, water and power and offer few direct jobs in return. Some experts say that they're looking to build in warmer countries, despite higher power and water consumption for cooling, because they're less welcome in cooler, richer countries. Others warned of digital colonialism, where rich tech companies get richer but leave little behind.