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I think it's less Skynet and more Wintermute: Some people saw the movie Elysium or read a summary of the book Neuromancer, and decided those were aspirational visions of how to be Untouchably Rich In Space.

Though there is a simpler explanation: Some guy with lots of stock in Rocket Launches and Datacenters has an extreme financial incentive to push stories where spending on both things simultaneously is the big new thing.

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there has been a lot of pushback about building new data centers basically anywhere on earth might as well build them in space.
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Because that's the next generation's problem, and we can do more to mortgage their future for our own luxury :)
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