When A.I. Comes to Town: The Backlash Over Data Centers

The surge in AI development is driving a massive data center boom across the U.S., raising complex questions for local communities. Karen Weise discusses how tech companies are investing billions in data centers to power AI, leading to increased power demands and resource use. St. Joseph County, Indiana, serves as a case study, where an initial welcome to data center projects shifted to community resistance over concerns about traffic, safety, environmental impact, and the long-term implications of AI. While companies promise economic benefits and community integration, residents worry about losing their quality of life and becoming overly dependent on an uncertain technological future. Despite the federal government's support for AI, communities are recognizing their power to negotiate and control development.