Microsoft announced a five‑point "Community‑First AI Infrastructure" plan aimed at easing local concerns about its new AI data centers. The initiative includes higher payments to offset electricity costs, reduced water usage, job training and creation, and greater contributions to local tax bases. Company officials said the move responds to rising electricity rates, community backlash, and pressure from lawmakers seeking transparency on utility impacts. Microsoft also pledged not to accept electricity subsidies and to work with utilities and regulators to set rates that cover the power demands of its facilities. Leia mais →

A new analysis published in Nature Communications examines the environmental footprint of the rapid AI‑driven data‑center expansion in the United States. While tech giants pour billions into new facilities, the study finds that location dramatically influences carbon and water impacts. States such as Texas, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota emerge as optimal sites because they balance lower water scarcity with cleaner electricity grids. In contrast, traditional hubs like Virginia and California face growing pressure on energy and water resources, raising doubts about the feasibility of industry net‑zero pledges. Leia mais →