US tech leaders stage data center charm offensive
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word essay Monday announcing plans for a $1 billion fund to invest in communities that host data centers.
US tech leaders have ramped up their efforts to win over communities affected by data center construction, amid growing bipartisan criticism. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a $1 billion fund to invest in communities hosting data centers in a 6,500-word essay, while OpenAI published an open letter to Texas’ governor, pledging to be a partner in responsible AI infrastructure development.
In contrast, the White House has largely avoided addressing the backlash, with the president referring to data centers as "Money Machines." The backlash against data centers has been intense, with New York banning their construction and local bans nationwide increasing from 300 in late June to over 500 in July, according to The Information.
Brief written by urgent.news from Semafor's own syndicated text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
