Trending Now - Data Centers: a Hidden Benefit for Local Communities
WHO:
Vox - A growing number of Americans are mobilizing against the construction of new data centers.
WHAT:
Cointelegraph - Bernstein reports that Bitcoin miners control 27 GW of planned power and are involved in $90 billion in AI deals, positioning them as critical suppliers in AI infrastructure.
Fast Company - Eight municipalities in Georgia have passed moratoriums on data center development.
Fast Company - Between late March through June of 2025, an estimated $98 billion in data center projects were blocked or delayed.
Fast Company - In 2025, there were at least 113 petitions against data center projects on Change.org, totaling around 50,000 signatures, compared to just one petition in 2024.
Fast Company - A recent Gallup poll from May 13 found that seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing AI data centers in their areas, with 48% of Americans being "strongly opposed."
Fast Company - Opposition to data centers is larger than the peak opposition of 63% against nuclear energy plants since Gallup began asking about them in 2001.
Reddit - The U.K. has more data centers than China, which has approximately 300 data centers.
Fox News - A report alleges that foreign influence from China, dark money billionaires, and activist networks is fueling opposition to American AI data center projects.
Reddit - The United States is approaching over 4,000 data centers, with most built relatively recently.
Reddit - China has approximately 365 data centers.
Reddit - A single standard data center can process roughly 1-5 billion queries per day.
Reddit - ChatGPT's total global volume of queries per day is about 2.5 billion prompts.
Reddit - Google search has about 13-16 billion queries per day.
WHERE:
Reddit - The data centers are located throughout the United States and China.
WHY:
Reddit - Speculation suggests that the rapid buildup of data centers may be due to a perceived need for infrastructure to support AI, despite claims that the current demand does not justify such expansion.
Reddit - There is a theory that the data centers are being built for purposes beyond AI query requests, potentially for processing massive amounts of metadata.
HOW:
Reddit - The article discusses the energy strain that building a large number of data centers could place on a country's energy infrastructure and grid.
(UPDATED May 20, 2026 01:37 UTC)
Bitcoin miners are now controlling a significant 27 gigawatts of planned power and are involved in a staggering $90 billion in artificial intelligence deals. This positions them as essential suppliers in the growing AI infrastructure market. According to Bernstein, this development highlights the increasing importance of cryptocurrency mining in the tech landscape.
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(UPDATED May 19, 2026 23:21 UTC)
Eight municipalities in Georgia have enacted moratoriums on data center development as opposition to these projects continues to grow. A recent Gallup poll revealed that seven in ten Americans are against constructing AI data centers in their communities, with nearly half expressing strong opposition, marking a significant increase in resistance compared to previous years. In fact, there were at least 113 petitions against data center projects on Change.org in 2025, gathering around 50,000 signatures, a stark contrast to just one petition in 2024.
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(UPDATED May 19, 2026 16:06 UTC)
In a surprising turn of events, the U.K. has surpassed China in the number of data centers, boasting a total that exceeds China's approximately 300 facilities. This shift highlights the growing importance of data infrastructure in the U.K. as it continues to expand its technological landscape. The implications of this development could be significant for the global tech industry moving forward.
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(UPDATED May 19, 2026 06:21 UTC)
A report from Fox News claims that opposition to American AI data center projects is being fueled by foreign influence from China, dark money billionaires, and activist networks. The report highlights concerns about how these factors may be impacting the development of AI infrastructure in the United States. As discussions around AI continue to evolve, this revelation adds another layer to the ongoing debate about technology and its regulation.
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(UPDATED May 19, 2026 04:19 UTC)
A growing number of Americans are mobilizing against the construction of new data centers, as the United States approaches over 4,000 of these facilities, most built in recent years. While a single standard data center can process between one and five billion queries daily, speculation suggests that the rapid buildup may be driven by a perceived need for infrastructure to support AI, even though current demand may not justify such expansion. Concerns are also rising about the energy strain that a large number of data centers could place on the country's energy infrastructure and grid.