AI oversight on agenda as ‘blue wave’ comes for data centres
Several leading critics of Artificial Intelligence data centres have been elected to governorships in the US mid-term elections, as the Democrats scored historic wins.
Three US states which have been centres of investment by AI companies elected Democratic leaders who have been critical of the impact of data centres. Incoming Texas governor Gina Hinojosa ran on a platform promising a moratorium on new data centres while their environmental impact is investigated. Ohio’s governor-elect Amy Acton has pledged a conditional freeze on data centre development to ensure that any future infrastructure meets strict criteria for water and energy use. Georgia’s new governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, has also argued for a temporary pause in development. New York’s governor, Kathy Huchel, introduced a moratorium on larger data centres earlier this year.
The increasingly unpopular data centres were a major flash point in this year’s election, with dozens of local votes to block specific proposed AI infrastructure included on ballots. Concerns have grown over the resources required by the centres, which power AI’s large language models, their noise impact on local communities, lack of transparency in their approvals, and the limited economic benefits to local people. According to AdImpact, $170 million was spent during the election on advertising opposing data centres. Tech giants have spent an estimated $700 billion on AI infrastructure just this year and now face long delays in approvals for future data centre growth as state reviews take place.
Elon Musk, who has relocated much of his operation to Texas, spent a reported $220 million in the state’s gubernatorial and senate races in an attempt to prevent his critics from taking office. The expensive gamble looks to have backfired. James Talarico, the new Democratic Senator for Texas said: “We just sent a message to every billionaire mega-donor, every trillionaire mega-donor, every corrupt defender of this broken political system. In this state, in this country, power belongs to the people.” Last night, reviewing the returns on his political investment, Musk wrote on his social media platform X: "Data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now.”
Overall, Musk spent almost half a billion dollars trying to influence the mid-terms which, even in America’s monied politics, is an unprecedented show of influence by an individual donor. Next year the Space X boss is likely to come under Congressional investigation over his role in DOGE, his government contracts and his alleged interference in satellite support for Ukrainian forces, as well as facing questions – alongside other tech companies – on the social, environmental and economic impact of AI.
Meanwhile Big Tech companies continue to manoeuvre to meet the new political environment. YesterdayThe Hill reported on a document which seems to suggest that major companies involved in the AI build-out are trying to work with environmental organisations, including the Sierra Club and the National Resources Defence Council, to develop a “common national framework for responsible data development.”
Photo by Jesse Paul on Unsplash