AI Updated Nov 6, 2026, 8:02 PM UTC All the latest updates on AI data centers by Verge Staff and Justine Calma Link Share RSS Gift Massive new data centers are the physical foundation for tech companies’ hopes and dreams for AI. But the rush to expand warehouses full of energy-hungry servers has also kicked up fights across the world over their impact on power grids, utility bills, nearby communities, and the environment.
Data centers were a major bipartisan issue ahead of the 2026 midterms , and voters largely opposed data center expansion at the polls. Tech giants like OpenAI and Amazon are promising to work more closely with local communities and cover their data center energy costs. But following the election, Democratic leaders are calling for further data center restrictions and slowdowns that the AI companies will have to grapple with.
From audacious plans about data centers into space , heated local battles over buildouts , and potential environmental impacts , here’s The Verge ’s news, coverage, and reporting surrounding data centers and the companies that are building them. Highlights Lame-duck Congress might actually do something: speed up energy projects Data centers lost the midterms AI has come for Arizona’s water Voters in Texas agree: They hate data centers Data center backlash is uniting America The People of Utah vs.
Kevin O’Leary Is this the future of America? Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard Data centers are coming for rural America Nov 6 Justine Calma Lame-duck Congress might actually do something: speed up energy projects Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images A massive permitting bill that could help energy projects come online much quicker and potentially lower utility bills for Americans is advancing with bipartisan support.
And while it could be a catalyst for lots of clean energy, it could also speed up polluting projects and limit oversight of new data centers. With data centers demanding more electricity for AI, environmental advocates fear that developers could take advantage of the reforms to evade public scrutiny and rely more heavily on fossil fuels.
The bill sacrifices caution for speed, limiting environmental reviews and preventing communities from stopping a project from moving forward by taking it to court. Read Article > Nov 6 Robert Hart “We are a data center first company,” AMD CEO Lisa Su says. The comments, made in an interview with Yahoo Finance , come after the chipmaker reported its “largest and most profitable” quarter in history.
Su expects AMD’s data center business to grow 50 percent from Q3 to Q4, calling the growth a “testament to how important computing is” to the AI boom. Nov 6 Jay Peters OpenAI is stepping back from NDAs for data center projects Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Following this week’s midterms where voters resoundingly voiced their opposition to data center expansion , OpenAI today announced new commitments to communities where it is working on data center projects, including that it won’t use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with public officials.
Many data center projects have come under scrutiny for relying on NDAs to hide discussions between developers and local officials. However, OpenAI says it is now allowing “only narrow protections covering legitimate security information, trade secrets, or proprietary or competitively sensitive information.” In October, Amazon announced it would no longer use NDAs with government agencies it works with on data center projects.
Read Article > Nov 4 Jay Peters This week in the big AI data center buildout. AI data center projects are continuing to pop up across the US, with frequent opposition from locals concerned about their impact. Here are a few recent articles about the projects: Bloomberg : AI Data Center Boom Set for Upheaval After US Election Rout The Guardian : How a small Wisconsin city scuttled a secretive $1.
6bn datacenter project The Hill : San Diego delays data center after residents — including Lord Farquaad, Elmo — address City Council The Salt Lake Tribune : After data center controversy, the Box Elder County Commission will get two new members Nov 4 Lauren Feiner Data centers lost the midterms Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Data center developers are poised to face a more restrictive building environment after voters across the country voted in candidates who favor moratoriums and ballot measures that put more obstacles on their expansion, delivering a stinging blow to a central pillar of the AI industry.
Of voters polled by NBC News on Election Day, 76 percent said they opposed data centers in their communities. Dozens of local communities voted directly to restrict development through ballot measures . And upset winners like Texas Democratic Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa and Michigan’s Democratic Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed support moratoriums on development.
Read Article > Nov 4 Lauren Feiner Maine Republican Susan Collins concedes Senate seat in a tech-fueled race. The longtime senator counted tech executives like Palantir CEO Alex Karp and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz among her donors. Democratic challenger Troy Jackson also received some billionaire support, but no obvious tech ties.
Maine almost became the first state to pause data centers, before the governor vetoed the moratorium. Maine’s data center revolt will decide who controls the Senate Abigail Bassett Oct 30 Nov 4 Lauren Feiner Democrat projected to win Ohio seat that Republicans warned could spell trouble for data centers. NBC News projects Democrat Sherrod Brown will win back his former Senate seat from Republican Jon Husted, who Brown had labeled “the face of data centers.
” The National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in a leaked August memo that if Husted loses “and data centers get the blame, politicians across the country will take notice — and they will not go near the next one.