Labour rejects Zack Polanski’s call to ‘slam brakes’ on building AI datacentres

Government officials dismissed opposition leader Zack Polanski's proposal to halt the construction of major AI datacentres in Britain. Polanski argued that such a moratorium, particularly on energy-intensive and water-dependent facilities, was necessary to protect the economy, jobs and national security. The government countered that such a pause would be detrimental, sending investment and jobs overseas while leaving Britain reliant on overseas computing for sensitive health and defence data.

Labour designated AI datacentres as critical national infrastructure, a classification Polanski deemed "outrageous." He contended that critical infrastructure traditionally encompasses hospitals, water, and electricity, not artificial intelligence. The government maintained that a moratorium would not grant datacentres priority access to water or electricity, nor would it automatically prioritize them over households during shortages.

The water usage of datacentres in England was reported to be less than 1% of non-household consumption. The controversy arises as datacentre policy gains prominence, especially in Scotland and amid disputes over noise, heat, traffic, and visual impact affecting property values in various regions. The AI Minister, Kanishka Narayan, emphasized the need for more AI datacentres to bolster the nation's defense and ensure British values are upheld.

The government's refusal to pause development does not imply a free pass for big tech, but developers are urged to prioritize clean power, responsible water usage, job creation, and community investment. The tech equity campaign group Foxglove cautioned that developers might circumvent energy grid delays by constructing their own gas-fired power stations, potentially reversing climate action gains.