What the US Movement Against Data Centers Can Learn From Abroad
Author Paris Marx discusses the global resistance to data center expansion, citing environmental concerns like water and energy consumption. The interview explores how local communities are challenging tech giants to prioritize sustainability.
Why it matters
The rapid growth of AI and cloud computing is creating infrastructure tensions that are becoming a central issue in local and national politics.
“I certainly didn't predict that it was all going to kind of come to a head as my book was coming out,” he says with a laugh.
While data centers are playing a role in shaping US elections—they’re one of the issues that could decide key midterm races in less than two weeks—there’s a history of struggle around the world. Marx’s book takes the reader on a tour of the tech industry’s quest for power and its opposition, from antiwar protests targeting American computers during the Vietnam War, to more recent resistance in Ireland and Chile, and an alternative vision for the future of data centers in New Zealand.
I caught up with him this week to talk about what he’s seen, and what could happen if the AI bubble pops.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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