Data centers are amazing, but everyone hates them

Data centers are amazing. Everyone hates them.

MIT Technology Review says residents across multiple US states are pushing back on hyperscale data centers, with the conflict surfacing in a Georgia utility election and alongside a $500 billion buildout push. The post cites concrete drivers: a single site can link hundreds of thousands of GPUs, chips can cost over $30,000 each, and facilities can consume hundreds of megawatt-hours; in Georgia, a 900-acre proposal was rejected after about 900 people showed up in near-unanimous opposition. The point to watch is externalities: higher power bills, water use, constant noise, and limited long-term jobs are becoming political friction for AI infrastructure.

Why it matters: HKR-H/K/R all pass: the story frames AI infrastructure as a local political fight and backs it with concrete figures ($500B, 900 acres, ~900 opponents). Strong infrastructure reporting with policy relevance, but not a same-day must-write event.