Big, noisy and coming to a town near you - why the data centre backlash is growing

The US leads in both numbers and capacity, but Europe faces a growing backlash, with 16 states proposing bans or temporary blocks on new facilities. Environmental concerns, including water usage and carbon emissions, fuel public opposition, while supporters argue for economic benefits and national security. As the tech industry invests $765 billion this year in AI infrastructure, alternatives like space-based data centres are being explored.