Sam Altman says he gets why people don't want AI data centers in their backyard
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggested that AI data centers should be built in remote desert locations to mitigate community backlash regarding noise, water usage, and electricity demand. He acknowledged the validity of local concerns while emphasizing the industry's progress in cooling technology.
Why it matters
As AI infrastructure expands, the tension between rapid technological growth and local environmental/community impact is becoming a major policy and logistical challenge.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Sam Altman said on a podcast that he understands the backlash to AI data centers. The CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI said data centers should be built away from communities. "We should just go put it off in the desert, around no one where no one wants to be," he said. Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI , says he gets why communities don't want AI data centers nearby — and suggested they may be better suited for the desert. "I understand emotionally why people don't want data centers in their backyard in the same way that I don't really want a nuclear power plant next to my house, even though I know it's a super safe thing," Altman said during an episode of the "Invest Like The Best" podcast released Tuesday.
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