Photographer Uses AI Tool to Cut Storage Costs Amid Data Center Price Surge

I used Claude to solve a problem that data centers helped cause for my photography business. It's saved me thousands.

Allen Cooley Business Insider Photographer Allen Cooley spent more than $20,000 on hard drives in 2025 as storage costs jumped. He used Claude to catalog old drives and identify files he could safely delete for reuse. The tool saved him thousands in new costs, though video work may eventually force him to buy more. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Allen Cooley, photographer, director, and founder of Allen Cooley Photography, a commercial, beauty, and portrait studio bas...