Little-known firms' debt fuels worries that the AI bubble could burst

Concern about a possible AI bubble is growing around lesser-known companies that have taken on large amounts of borrowing. The debt held by data centre operators runs into the tens of billions of pounds. Lenders and investors are reportedly scrutinising how these firms plan to repay what they owe. Critics warn that a slowdown in AI demand could leave heavily indebted operators struggling. The article's full details are limited in this excerpt, so the wider scope of the risk is not fully assessed.