Imagine a town ravaged by contamination, its residents forced to flee due to toxic groundwater. That's exactly what Erin Brockovich is fighting against now – but this time, it's not just about industrial negligence. The environmental activist, famous for her role in exposing PG&E's Hinkley scandal in the 1990s, has set her sights on a new adversary: the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres.
Brockovich first became aware of the issue after receiving an overwhelming number of emails from concerned residents in towns near proposed AI data centre developments. Following a public call-out on her website in April, she received an astonishing 3,862 responses within just one month. The sheer scale and rapid expansion of these facilities have led Brockovich to liken them to "Hinkley on steroids", highlighting the unprecedented environmental implications.
While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI, Brockovich is clear that her campaign targets not the technology itself but the vast physical infrastructure needed to power it. These enormous data centres can span hundreds and hundreds of acres, with one recently approved in Utah reportedly twice the size of Manhattan. The secretive nature of these developments has left communities baffled, raising questions about resource consumption – particularly water and energy – and concerns over financial burdens on residents.
The anxieties are far-reaching. Community members have reported potential health impacts, destruction of local wildlife habitats, and even observations of disappearing wildlife and dead animals near construction sites. Brockovich's open-source map of significant AI data centres across the US highlights 33 operational, 68 under construction, and 41 proposed facilities as of June 24th. The accompanying 7,005 reports submitted through her online form underscore the lack of public awareness and transparency surrounding these projects.
Developers are allegedly entering non-disclosure agreements with local officials and altering zoning laws to facilitate developments without adequate public consultation or environmental impact assessments. While this particular campaign is focused on the US, the global nature of AI means that similar issues could arise in the UK and other countries as computing power demands soar. The UK, a significant hub for technology and data, could face comparable challenges regarding land use, resource allocation, and public engagement in the development of such large-scale infrastructure.
Brockovich's campaign is not just about environmental protection; it's also about ensuring that communities have a voice in the decisions affecting their lives. As AI continues to transform industries and daily life, it's imperative that we address the unintended consequences of its infrastructure.