Voters fiercely reject data centers
www.newsnationnow.com

... Fierce pushback to data centers helped carry Democrats to victory in key races across the nation this week, and where the centers were explicitly on the ballot, they lost overwhelmingly.

Midterm voters rejected industry-backed candidates and overwhelmingly backed resolutions to halt data center construction, dealing a major blow to the sector.

Election Day marked perhaps the biggest test so far for data center sentiment. Technology watchdog groups are seizing on the outcome, stating results show the public is largely rejecting the facilities and the technology they power.

"Data centers represent a fear and an angst that voters have about being replaced by AI, losing their jobs, losing their livelihoods [and] the rising price of energy in their local area," said Brendan Steinhauser, who managed Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) 2014 campaign and is now CEO of the Alliance for Secure AI. He added that they were also representative of "corruption" from "Big Tech oligarchs." ...

OpenAI Is Changing Its Tune on Data Centers Following Electoral Wipeout
gizmodo.com

... Following a blue wave that put Democrats in control of the next Congress and demonstrated Americans' discontent with the AI buildout, OpenAI is rolling out new commitments governing how it develops data centers.

The company behind ChatGPT announced Thursday that it will limit the controversial practice of using nondisclosure agreements with public officials and cover the electricity and energy infrastructure costs of future data centers it owns and operates.

The promises are part of OpenAI's new National Community Compact, a framework outlining how the company plans to work with locals in places where it builds data centers. The framework also includes pledges to be more transparent about construction plans and noise levels, develop water-use plans tailored to each community, and invest in local services such as childcare, education, healthcare, and transportation. ...