Today data centers are the subject of city council hearings, legislative battles, and front-page headlines. Maine just passed what is expected to become the nation's first statewide moratorium on large data center construction. Denver enacted its own ban earlier this year. Why are communities pushing back against data centers? Data centers, which house computer systems that help train AI models, are blanketing the country, a boom fueled by surging interest in AI and state tax breaks. Varying considerations need to be addressed as demand increases, including energy and water consumption, critical mineral requirements, permitting, investment in the. Companies on the hunt for more space pushed take-up for data centers to a record 352MW in Europe last year, while primary markets in North America jumped from 1. 45GW of net absorption, according to JLL analysts. To address these issues, states with existing data center tax breaks should adopt sustainable growth policies. Energy prices and water use aren't the only ways data centers affect U. AI tools like ChatGPT, navigation apps and streaming platforms feel effortless, drawing information seemingly from thin air.
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