AI data-center boom turns climate crisis into a midterm election flashpoint

A wave of grassroots opposition has emerged across the United States as tech giants race to erect massive AI data centers, raising alarms about unchecked electricity use and water consumption. According to Pew Research Center, more than 4,000 centers are active and up to 1,500 are slated for construction, prompting local communities to demand transparency and moratoriums. The controversy has entered the political arena, with candidates on both sides of the aisle articulating stances ahead of the crucial midterm elections.

President Donald Trump has dismissed calls for limits, insisting that halting the "golden goose" would jeopardise US dominance in the AI race against China. Environmental veteran Erin Brockovich is spearheading a campaign to catalog every data center, emphasizing the environmental risks and the opaque nature of the projects. Meanwhile, the United Nations warned that global temperature targets are slipping, underscoring the broader climate stakes tied to the data-center expansion.