Data centre expansion faces growing backlash
Data centres are expanding rapidly to support AI services such as ChatGPT and Claude, while their electricity use, water consumption, noise and environmental impact are fueling public opposition. BBC Technology reports that 16 US states have proposed laws to ban or temporarily block new facilities, with opposition also reported in Mexico, France, Indonesia and the UK. The debate will feature in the US midterms on 3 November, while Brookings Center analysis finds that hyperscale facilities generate more local jobs than colocation sites.
Data centre expansion is becoming a major political and infrastructure issue as communities weigh AI development against energy, environmental and land-use concerns.
ByDaniel Thomas and the Visual Journalism Team
Until a few years ago many of us may have been blissfully unaware of what a data centre was.
These giant, warehouse-like buildings power virtually all our internet activity, from our web searches and emails to movie downloads and online banking.
They are at the heart of the AI boom, housing the advanced computer chips and servers needed to run services like ChatGPT and Claude.
But the speed at which they're growing, the enormous amount of electricity they consume and concerns about their environmental impact are fuelling a public backlash around the world.
In the US, they've become a huge issue ahead of the midterm elections on 3 November, with both Republicans and opposition Democrats coming out against their development.
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