Data Centers
Ongoing coverage on Data Centers.
Latest coverage
New York to impose moratorium on data centers
New York is implementing a one-year moratorium on the construction of new large data centers, making it the first state to do so. Governor Kathy Hochul's executive order aims to establish new regulations concerning the energy and water consumption of these facilities, addressing concerns about utility bills and resource depletion.
Midday Tech Bits
New York is set to enact the nation's first statewide moratorium on data centers. The New York Times reports that Elon Musk's Colossus 2 data center installed 59 natural gas turbines without proper authorization.
New York enacts first US ban on data center construction
New York has become the first US state to enact a moratorium on the construction of new data centers. This move signifies a significant regulatory shift concerning the development of these facilities within the state.
Google bought all of a major solar farm's output to offset its dirty data center emissions
Google has entered into an agreement to purchase the entire electrical output of a major solar farm. This deal is intended to offset the fossil fuel emissions generated by the company's data centers.
Assault and Batteries
A new water-based battery technology is being explored that could transform entire data centers into large-scale energy storage facilities. This innovation has the potential to significantly impact how data centers manage and supply power.
Sunday Tech Bits
Residents in the US are expressing anger over the placement of data centers, with some recalling officials in protest. Data centers in Ireland are consuming a significant amount of electricity, raising concerns about energy usage.
Meta data center blamed for contaminating water in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Meta's data center construction contractor, Fortis, has been linked to bacteria discharge in Cheyenne, Wyoming's wastewater treatment system. The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities has suspended Meta's discharge privileges after Cupriavidus gilardii was found. Meta stated that independent tests found no trace of the bacteria and is working with the board to resolve the situation.
Morning Tech Bits
Data centers are increasingly being established in Texas, raising concerns about potential catastrophic pollution and a major electricity shortfall for the United States. The article examines the environmental and infrastructural impact of this growing trend.
Microsoft (MSFT) faces class-action lawsuit in Wisconsin over data center
Microsoft is facing a class-action lawsuit in Wisconsin concerning alleged unreasonable and excessive noise emissions from its Mount Pleasant data center. Citizens living near the facility have lodged complaints about the noise levels.
Wisconsin residents file class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging 'unreasonable and excessive noise'…
Wisconsin residents have filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that its Fairwater data center in Mount Pleasant emits excessive noise from diesel generators and HVAC systems. The suit claims this noise pollution, including infrasound, has negatively impacted residents' sleep and quality of life. Microsoft stated it is investigating the issues and has implemented noise mitigation measures, but the lawsuit suggests these have not fully resolved the problem for all affected parties.
'Meta will need to reduce or possibly stop AI investment in datacenters, as it already has excess capacity': The AI infrastructure bubble feels the heat
Meta is reportedly exploring options to sell excess AI compute capacity, potentially entering the cloud computing business to monetize its infrastructure. This move comes as big tech's massive investments in AI hardware may be leading to overcapacity, prompting concerns about return on investment. The company's stock saw a significant jump following reports of these considerations.
Data centers reportedly targeted by cargo thieves, with over $1 million worth of copper and equipment found in two…
Investigators discovered over $1.3 million worth of stolen data center supplies, including copper wire and equipment, in two trailers at a truck yard in Illinois. The theft is linked to the increased demand for infrastructure driven by the AI boom, with copper being a particularly valuable target due to its high cost and lack of tracking.
Evening Legal Briefs
The rapid expansion of data centers in the United States is approaching a critical juncture as federal security and sustainability protections are set to expire. This regulatory gap poses significant challenges for the booming industry.
Amazon is investigating three employees who spoke out against building more AI data centers
Amazon is investigating three employees who testified against the construction of AI data centers in Seattle. The engineers claim Amazon is threatening their jobs because of their public statements made during city hearings.
White House takes aim at internet anonymity while stripping states of power
The Trump administration is reportedly negotiating with senators to advance bills that could impact internet anonymity and online privacy, including the Kids Online Safety Act and the NO FAKES Act. The administration also aims to implement age-verification mandates and establish federal precedent for regulating AI data centers, potentially overriding state-level control.
Uni researchers plan to build a low-carbon data center hivemind from 2,000 Pixel smartphones—with Google's…
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, are developing a low-carbon data center by repurposing 2,000 Google Pixel smartphones. This initiative aims to reduce e-waste and the environmental impact of traditional data centers by utilizing existing hardware for cloud computing tasks. Google is supporting the project, which is expected to provide cost-effective and eco-friendly computing resources for researchers and students.
OpenAI says it busted a shadowy Chinese operation that used ChatGPT to whip up data centre hate (and that achieved…
OpenAI has reported that China-based actors used its ChatGPT tools to generate social media content for covert influence operations targeting US debates on AI, data centers, and tariffs. The operations, which aimed to sow distrust in US institutions and technology, were assessed by OpenAI as having minimal impact and did not achieve a breakout on any platform. Despite the low impact, OpenAI believes these operations highlight the potential for foreign influence in legitimate public discussions.
17 years ago, one engineer made a very important discovery: If you shout at data centre HDDs, they slow down
An engineer named Brendan Gregg discovered 17 years ago that shouting at Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) can increase their latency due to vibration. This phenomenon affects HDDs but not Solid State Drives (SSDs). The discovery was shared by Bryan Cantrill in a 2008 YouTube video and is relevant to data center operations.
Morning Tech Bits
This article is a collection of brief technology news items. It mentions public anger from residents near xAI's data centers regarding the potential SpaceX IPO, and a process monitor update from Microsoft.
OpenAI says fake accounts from China tried to turn Americans against data centers
OpenAI has reported that influence campaigns originating from China attempted to use ChatGPT to generate opposition against data centers in the United States. These campaigns aimed to manipulate public opinion regarding the construction of these facilities.