Part 10/14:
AI’s reliance on immense physical infrastructure—data centers consuming vast electricity and water—has sparked local resistance across the US. In numerous jurisdictions, construction permits for new data centers have been blocked or delayed—escalating from just eight in the prior year to 69 today, with some being permanent bans.
Communities argue that these facilities increase utility costs, deplete water resources, and bypass local democratic processes. For instance, Michigan’s Saline Township rejected a $16 billion OpenAI data center, only to see the developer subsequently sue for exclusionary zoning, prompting a controversial project approval despite resident opposition.