The dark side of the cloud: the environmental cost of Trump's AI vision

Weeks before the US midterm elections, many Americans are protesting the construction of massive server farms in their communities due to enormous consumption of electricity, water, and land. At least 15 states are considering freezing construction permits. The Trump administration continues to promote the facilities as part of its artificial intelligence ambitions. Server farm electricity consumption stood at 4.7% of total US consumption in 2024.

Weeks before the US midterm elections, many Americans are fighting against the construction of massive server farms (hyperscale) in their communities. The facilities, used by tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, are intended to fuel President Trump's ambitions in the field of artificial intelligence. Polls show about two-thirds of Americans oppose construction in their residential areas, mainly due to enormous water, electricity, and land consumption and the impact on electricity bills. The opposition is so intense that at least 15 states are considering an administrative freeze on construction permits. The Trump administration continues to prioritize the establishment of server farms. According to the Pew Institute, over 1,500 new farms are in development, to be added to about 3,000 existing ones. Their electricity consumption stood at 4.7% of total US consumption in 2024, and could reach nearly 12% by 2030. In Texas, 248 new projects are planned; the electricity council is reviewing connection requests for 474 gigawatts, five times the historical peak demand. The article notes that companies are building independent natural gas power plants, with over 80 plants in planning or construction, which could increase greenhouse gas emissions.