How to stop data centers from grabbing too much power
The rapid expansion of data centers has become one of the most tangible expressions of the artificial intelligence revolution. But debate about their environmental, economic and social impact threatens their future development. And rightly so. Although the digital economy is often seen as weightless, every cloud service and AI application depends on massive physical infrastructure that takes up…
The rapid growth of data centers is a key manifestation of the AI era. However, concerns over their environmental, economic, and social impacts pose challenges to their continued expansion. This is a legitimate concern. While the digital economy is often viewed as intangible, it relies on substantial physical infrastructure that uses land, energy, water, and incurs rising investments.
International evidence indicates that as data centers expand, tensions arise. In Ireland, data centers consumed 21% of the nation's electricity in 2023, potentially rising to 32% this year. In the United States, their share of demand is projected to triple from 4% in 2023 to 12% by 2028. Consequently, data centers have become a topic of growing political and public concern.
A Gallup poll revealed that 71% of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their local communities. Beyond energy and water usage, mounting evidence suggests other undesirable local consequences. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that data centers can generate noise pollution, contribute to heat islands, and negatively impact local wildlife.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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