Wednesday briefing: What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres?
A global backlash is growing against the rapid expansion of data centers, with communities and governments raising concerns over energy consumption and climate impact. Critics argue that the infrastructure required for AI development is straining local resources and energy grids.
Why it matters
As AI adoption accelerates, the environmental and social costs of the underlying physical infrastructure are becoming a significant point of political and social contention.
Amazon’s hyperscale datacentre in Oxfordshire. Amazon’s hyperscale datacentre in Oxfordshire. First Edition newsletter Technology Wednesday briefing: What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres? In today’s newsletter: Communities from Scotland to India are pushing back against datacentres they feel have been forced upon them, warning they threaten energy supplies and the climate
Prefer the Guardian on Google Good morning. This summer, datacentres have become targets of resistance across the world. Ever since the arrival of ChatGPT, big tech has been lobbying for the creation of enormous new facilities. Many governments claim they’re essential in any country that wants to cash in on AI.
Campaigners argue datacentres drain resources and exacerbate the climate crisis. The Scottish National Party has backed a moratorium on new developments; so has the Greens. The boom has been immense, and so has the backlash. Today’s newsletter explains why.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in