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US voters and European countries grapple with AI data center backlash
Voters in multiple US states and European countries are increasingly opposing rapid data center expansion due to concerns about electricity and water consumption.
As artificial intelligence drives rapid growth in data center construction, communities across the United States and Europe are mounting resistance. In the US, voters in ten states will decide on Election Day whether to curb data center development, with Ohio seeing over 21 distinct ballot proposals across multiple jurisdictions. Concerns centre on heavy electricity and water demands, with some residents also fearing potential health impacts. Ireland, where data centers sparked similar backlash, now requires tech firms to fund renewable energy projects meeting at least 80 per cent of their energy demands before grid connection. Meanwhile, major tech companies are turning to nuclear power to meet AI infrastructure needs, with Amazon and Google recently signing 20-year contracts for nuclear electricity generation.
From 10 outlets:
CNBC›
Summary written by AI from these reports. See news.today/ai
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