Data center protests
Opponents have blocked or delayed $130 billion in data center projects in 2026.
data centerData Center Opponents Have Blocked Or Delayed Projects Worth Nearly $130 Billion In 2026
An anonymous reader quotes a report from NBC News: The first quarter of 2026 produced the most blocked and delayed data center projects on record, according to a new study shared with NBC News. The study -- conducted by Data Center Watch, a project of the AI intelligence firm 10a Labs that tracks local data center activity -- found that data center opponents blocked or delayed at least 75 projects nationwide worth about $130 billion from January through March, the most in a three-month period si
SpaceX Rented Out Computing After Own Teams Had Trouble Using It
SpaceX decided to rent out the full capacity of its Colossus 1 data center in Memphis to Anthropic PBC after encountering technical challenges using the facility to develop and run its Grok artificial intelligence models, according to people familiar with the matter.
$130 billion in data center projects blocked by protests so far this year
Winning fight against AI data centers gives people a "taste of political power."
China Didn’t Make Americans Hate Data Centers
GOP lawmakers, tech investors, and even OpenAI have tied the anti-data-center movement in the US to Chinese interference. Experts say it’s much more complicated than that.
When it comes to total water use, AI data centers are a drop in the bucket
Even moderately sized data centers can have an outsized local impact.
Infineon to Open German Chip Fab as Part of EU Sovereignty Push
Infineon is set to open a $5.8 billion power-chip fab in Dresden on July 2, backed by about $1.1 billion in EU Chips Act subsidies. The plant will make power semiconductors for AI data centers and could eventually add up to $5.8 billion in annual revenue as demand for AI infrastructure strains global electricity systems. Bloomberg reports: Infineon, traditionally a chipmaker for the automotive industry, has increasingly benefited from soaring demand for power chips used in AI data centers, which
Crusoe claimed it “paused” a plan to build a Wyoming data center after it failed to win customers including Google
The company was pressured to pause development by Google
Amazon reveals exactly how much water its data centers used last year — and claims its 2.5 billion gallons puts it below the industry average
Amazon says it used far less water than Google at its data centers as it turns to air cooling and recycled water consumption.
What the SpaceX IPO reveals about Gulf money in AI
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are funding America's AI boom — and getting data centers in return.
Taiwan Eyes $200 Million Data Center for Lone South America Ally
Taiwan plans to help bring a $200 million data center to Paraguay, its lone ally in South America, in a rare investment aimed at shoring up the two partners’ diplomatic relationship that’s backed by Washington.
The Next US-China AI Battle Is Over Compute — and China Is Spending Big
China bets $295 billion on AI backbone as US data center boom accelerates
Scaffolding Company’s Data-Center Pivot Cuts Into Margins
Brand Industrial Services Inc., a scaffolding and industrial services company that does business as BrandSafway, reported sharply lower first-quarter earnings as higher costs and spending on its push into data center construction weighed on results, according to people familiar with the matter.
SpaceX Holder Ark Sees $300 Billion Win on Orbital Data Centers
Ark Investment Management’s Brett Winton said SpaceX could generate $300 billion in annual revenue by deploying tens of gigawatts of orbital data center capacity by the late 2020s at the current rental rates.
Amazon’s data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water last year
Just after Seattle enacted a one-year data center moratorium that some of Amazon's own employees pushed for, Amazon shared how much water its data centers use, reportedly for the first time. With concerns about water consumption and energy use a focus of new AI data center construction debates, Amazon says its global data center operations […]
DigitalBridge CEO Dismisses Data Centers in Space
DigitalBridge CEO Marc Ganzi joined Bloomberg Open Interest to explain why AI’s next bottleneck is power, not just chips or data centers. He breaks down the ArcLight acquisition, the company’s massive gigawatt pipeline, and why he thinks space-based data centers are still more “science project” than real infrastructure strategy. (Source: Bloomberg)
CoreWeave AI Funding Goes Global With First Euro Junk-Bond Deal
Cloud-computing giants powering the artificial intelligence boom are tapping global debt markets to fund hundreds of billions of dollars needed for data centers, chips and other infrastructure. Junk-rated CoreWeave Inc. is now following their lead.
NTT Unit Said to Seek $1 Billion to Develop Data Centers in US
NTT Global Data Centers, a unit of Japan’s NTT Inc., is seeking at least $1 billion in fresh capital to fund development projects in the US, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Crusoe Pushed Aside at Wyoming AI Project After Google Concerns
Data center upstart Crusoe is being pushed aside at an artificial intelligence campus it was developing in Wyoming after failing to lock in customers including Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according to people familiar with the situation.
Amazon Says Its Data Centers Use 2.5 Billion Gallons of Water
Amazon.com Inc. said its data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water worldwide last year, or about 5% of the amount metro Seattle consumes annually.
UK Energy Regulator Warns Data Centers Are Hoarding Grid Capacity
The UK’s energy regulator is concerned that data centers are reserving large amounts of grid capacity years before fully needed, further threatening the efficiency of networks facing long queues for new supply.
OpenAI says suspected fake China-linked accounts tried to sway the debate about US data centers
OpenAI bans China-linked accounts allegedly behind data center propaganda.
Data Center Battery Maker ZincFive to Merge With SparkLabs SPAC
ZincFive Inc., a specialized battery maker supplying data centers, has agreed to go public through a merger with a blank-check company backed by SparkLabs Group at a pre-money valuation of $600 million.
The Cost of AI Is Showing Up in Inflation
The massive buildout of data centers is driving up costs for critical hardware used in phones, computers and cars.
'That gap is significant': Lots of us still know nothing about data centers, new survey finds
Despite their increasingly important role in daily life, many people still have no idea what data centers actually do, report finds.
Oracle Falls as Data Center Costs Exceed Estimates
Oracle shares declined in premarket trading after the company reported quarterly capital expenses that were higher than estimates. The company expects to spend about $70 billion on net capital expenditures in the current fiscal year, which ends in May 2027. Bloomberg Intelligence's Matthew Bloxham has more. (Source: Bloomberg)
People Living Near xAI’s Dirty Data Centers Are Furious About the SpaceX IPO
Elon Musk is set to make hundreds of billions even as communities in Mississippi and Tennessee are fighting to stop the gas turbines powering xAI's supercomputers.
OpenAI says fake accounts from China tried to turn Americans against data centers
OpenAI has published a report detailing how China-linked influence campaigns against data centers used ChatGPT.
TDK US CEO on Plans to Acquire Fabric8Labs
Jim Tran, CEO of TDK USA, discusses the company's plans to acquire US startup Fabric8Labs, as part of the firm's broader push into its data center business. He speaks exclusively with Shery Ahn on "Bloomberg: The Asia Trade". (Source: Bloomberg)
OpenAI says China-linked accounts used ChatGPT to fuel opposition to US data centres
OpenAI said a cluster of ChatGPT accounts linked to China attempted to stir up local opposition to US data centres by posing as Americans and posting AI-generated content about rising electricity costs. The company nicknamed the campaign “Data Center Bandwagon” and said the accounts were likely tied to a private Chinese technology firm working for […] This story continues at The Next Web
Nashville Zoo leads fight against mega AI data center — over 375,000 sign petition against 69,000 square foot building set to overlook animal habitats
Nashville Zoo collects 375k signatures against a proposed data center, citing potential animal welfare and conservation risks.
Everyone wants a piece of Tesla’s battery business
Electricity demand from AI data centers is pushing everyone — including automakers like GM and Ford — into the energy storage business.
Oracle’s Higher Data Center Spending Overshadows AI Growth
Oracle Corp. reported quarterly capital expenses that were higher than estimates, raising investor concerns about the profitability of the company’s AI infrastructure business.
Citi Says Investors Growing More Selective on Data Center Bonds
Bond investors are increasingly scrutinizing financing deals linked to artificial intelligence infrastructure buildouts, according to Citigroup Inc. analysts.
OpenAI Says China-Linked Accounts Aim to Fuel US Data Center Pushback
OpenAI said a group of ChatGPT accounts with ties to China have sought to stir up local opposition to data centers in the US in a potential bid to hinder the country’s competitiveness in artificial intelligence, echoing recent rhetoric from others in the tech industry.
Farmer donates land for a park, city sells it for $10M as data center land
Article URL: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/farmer-donates-land-for-a-park-city-sells-it-for-data-center-development-usd10-gift-became-usd10m-for-city-government-with-usd30m-tax-expected-over-next-decade Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48481126 Points: 94 # Comments: 12
CoreWeave’s Credit Rebound Drives Cheaper Data Center Funding
When Applied Digital Corp. first tapped the junk-bond market in November to fund a data center project tied to CoreWeave Inc., it had to stomach a hefty yield to get the deal done. Fast forward to this week, and borrowing costs for another portion of the same project tumbled.
AI Is Not Safe Yet, Says UCLA Professor
As AI giants Anthropic and OpenAI prepare for IPOs, the companies are stressing their efforts to ensure the tech is safe and beneficial for humanity. But Safiya Noble, a UCLA professor and director of the university’s Center on Resilience & Digital Justice, says current AI is not safe, and that stereotypes and biases are being built into training data. Noble joins Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on “Bloomberg Tech." (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX Has Proved 'Outlandish' Ideas Before: Baillie Gifford’s Singlehurst Says
With enthusiasm for SpaceX’s IPO building, attention has turned to its orbital data center plans. Peter Singlehurst, head of private companies at Baillie Gifford, says making outlandish ideas work is something the Musk-run company has done multiple times before. Singlehurst speaks with Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on “Bloomberg Tech.” (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX IPO Multiple Times Oversubscribed | Bloomberg Tech 6/10/2026
Bloomberg’s Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow discuss Wall Street’s enthusiasm for SpaceX as the company’s IPO approaches. Plus, Google backstops Anthropic data centers as Silicon Valley races to build AI infrastructure with ever more intertwined deals. And, a new dashboard shows the real-time impact of AI on the labor market. (Source: Bloomberg)
The three hard-tech moonshots fueling SpaceX’s unbelievable IPO
Most of the value in SpaceX's IPO is effectively a call option on the company's ambitious space data center plans.
China Opens World’s First Wind-Powered Underwater Data Center
With an initial capacity of 24 megawatts, the innovative data center uses seawater as a natural cooling system.
Why everyone’s an energy company now
Electricity demand from AI data centers is pushing everyone — including automakers like GM and Ford — into the energy storage business.
PRC-linked influence operations are targeting AI debates in the US
A new report from OpenAI details PRC-linked influence operations using AI to target U.S. tech debates, data center narratives, tariffs, and false claims about ChatGPT.
'It doesn't benefit us': Seattle votes for year-long ban on new AI data centers
Seattle issues a moratorium on new data center projects in and around the city as it looks to solidify regulations and protect citizens.
TDK Buys US 3D-Printing Startup to Amp Up AI Ecosystem Bet
TDK Corp. is spending as much as $400 million to buy Fabric8Labs Inc., a US startup that’s developed a technology that can be used to improve data-center cooling systems.
Meta signs first AI data center deal in India with Reliance
The 168-megawatt facility will support Meta's global AI computing needs and can be expanded over time.
Seattle is close to approving a year-long ban on large data centers
The Seattle City Council has approved a moratorium on the construction of large data centers.
Google's Backstops Underpin $35 Billion Anthropic Chip Deal
Anthropic is leasing powerful computer chips at five data centers with help from Google, one of the artificial intelligence firm's earliest investors. Google has agreed to backstop lease payments at each location, helping Anthropic obtain what amounts to a $35 billion loan. Bloomberg's Neil Campling explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
Meta Partners With Reliance on First India AI Data Center
Meta Platforms Inc. is partnering with Reliance Industries Ltd. to build its first AI data center in India, adding to a wave of investment in tech infrastructure globally.
G.M. Plans to Develop Energy Storage Batteries as E.V. Sales Flag
The carmaker will follow Tesla in making components for large batteries used by electric utilities, data centers and other businesses to handle fluctuations in power supply and demand.