The Data Center Debate Is Divorced From the Facts
The author contends that public opposition to AI data centers is often based on exaggerated fears rather than scientific evidence. The piece argues that local communities are losing out on economic benefits due to misconceptions about water usage and environmental impact.
Why it matters
It addresses the tension between rapid AI infrastructure development and local environmental concerns.
All those scary numbers aren’t what they seem.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Charles-McClintock Wilson / NurPhoto / Getty; Thomas Simonetti / AFP / Getty. September 19, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save As the build-out of AI data centers has accelerated, the public has tended to focus on every possible downside of these industrial projects. Some wariness—about the developments and the companies behind them—is sensible. As with almost any new industrial development, and depending on where they are built and how they are powered and cooled, data centers pose risks of excessive carbon-dioxide emissions and noise pollution.
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