Datacentre giant accused of using AI while lobbying for Victorian minister’s support for hyperscale factory
NextDC is facing scrutiny after allegedly using AI to draft lobbying correspondence to a Victorian minister regarding the expansion of its M3 datacentre. Local residents are protesting the project due to its massive scale and proximity to residential homes in Footscray.
Why it matters
This highlights growing tensions between hyperscale infrastructure development and local community interests, as well as the controversial use of AI in political lobbying.
NextDC has lodged an application with the Victorian government for fast-tracked approval to expand its controversial datacentre known as M3 in Footscray to cover 10 hectares./Getty Images NextDC has lodged an application with the Victorian government for fast-tracked approval to expand its controversial datacentre known as M3 in Footscray to cover 10 hectares./Getty Images Datacentres - Australia Datacentre giant accused of using AI while lobbying for Victorian minister’s support for hyperscale factory Exclusive: Correspondence requests state MP Melissa Horne to lobby on NextDC’s behalf – but contains alleged AI-created errors
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Prefer the Guardian on Google The Victorian jobs minister has accused one of Australia’s largest datacentre companies of using artificial intelligence while requesting she lobby her colleague to approve a massive expansion of its “hyperscale AI factory”.
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