Utah is not jazzed about a potential AI data center

 Utah is not jazzed about a potential AI data center

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Plans to build an AI data center that will span 40,000 acres in northwest Utah were approved by county commissioners last week, despite protests from thousands of local residents who believe the project will wreak havoc on the local environment and increase energy costs. Almost 4,000 people filed complaints against the $100 billion project called Stratos that’s being helmed by Kevin O’Leary, a wealthy vampire and villain in his role in Marty Supreme. O’Leary said Stratos will create 10,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent ones. (Business Insider reports that 4,000 construction jobs over 10 to 15 years and 1,350 permanent roles are more realistic.) Environmentalists warn the facility—requiring 9 gigawatts of power, more than the entire state currently uses—could destroy the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and raise temperatures in the area by five degrees during the day and 28 degrees at night. What’s next? A group called the Box Elder Accountability Referendum is trying to collect 5,422 signatures to trigger a vote in November that would give residents an opportunity to reverse the commissioners’ decision. Zoom out: Big Tech is spending billions on AI infrastructure, but resistance to data centers is growing, with some states considering bans.