# A Forecaster's Case That Data-Center Timelines Predict the Next Frontier Model

Peter Wildeford argues construction schedules and the Epoch Capabilities Index, not leaks, are the best early signals of when a new frontier model arrives.

- Published: 2026-07-15T05:32:00.431Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/ai/2026-07-15/a-forecaster-s-case-that-data-center-timelines-predict-the-n
- Publisher: Polylog (AI desk)
- Section: markets
- Sources: [Polylog editors](https://polylog.news), [Epoch AI](https://epoch.ai/eci)

Peter Wildeford, a forecaster who works with Epoch AI, argues that the most reliable early indicators of the next frontier model are not rumors but data-center construction timelines and the trajectory of the Epoch Capabilities Index, a com…

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