“The tech industry’s insatiable interest in AI is driving a data center boom in the US that shows no sign of slowing down; nearly 3,000 are under construction, adding to the more than 4,000 already in operation. The environmental footprint of these facilities is immense: A single AI-focused data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, the largest ones under development are expected to use 20 times as much. Much of this power comes from fossil fuels with new gas power generation doubling over the past year, driven by AI’s need for energy, when we need to be lowering emissions.

“Once touted by tech companies for their potential boon to stimulate local economies with short-lived construction jobs, these proposed facilities have seen nationwide pushback from across the political spectrum for driving up electricity prices, which are now climbing more than twice as fast as inflation, and for their local environmental impacts.

“This discussion will equip journalists with the fundamental understanding of the economic and climate impacts stemming from AI’s vast power use, explore how to investigate data centers in their area, and highlight unique story ideas to tackle this growing issue playing out in communities across the world.”

This CCNow webinar is the first in a three-part series on AI.