As AI competition moves from chips and algorithms into large-scale infrastructure, usable computing power depends on more than GPUs. Electricity, transmission networks, data-center location, and the institutions that organize them are becoming new variables in the U.S.-China AI competition.
Tag Archives: Data Center
Don’t Let AI’s “Brain” Drain Human Lives: Three Red Lines the Expansion of Data Centers Must Not Cross
AI depends on data centers, but data centers increasingly shape the communities around them. As AI infrastructure expands, local governments face the challenge of balancing technological innovation with residents’ quality of life. This article argues that electricity costs, water use, and noise control should become three essential principles for future regulation.
When Public Issues Become Increasingly Technical, Can Ordinary Citizens Still Participate?
As public policy becomes increasingly dependent on specialized knowledge, democratic governance faces new challenges. This article explores how citizens can continue to participate in complex public decisions—and how governments can keep governance transparent, understandable, and genuinely participatory in the age of AI.
Who Should Pay for AI Infrastructure?
As AI infrastructure expands rapidly, the central question is no longer technology alone but how its costs should be shared. This article examines the relationship between data centers, grid upgrades, and public investment—and asks who should ultimately pay for the infrastructure of the AI era.
The Age of AI Power: Will the Electric Grid Become a New Public Policy Issue?
As AI accelerates the demand for large-scale computing, the electric grid is emerging as a new public policy issue. This article explores why AI requires vast amounts of electricity and how local governments are responding to new infrastructure challenges.
When AI Begins to Change Cities: The New Governance Questions Behind Switch’s Data Center Expansion
Artificial intelligence is reshaping more than the technology sector. Using Switch’s data center expansion in Las Vegas as a case study, this article explores how AI is redefining local governance through infrastructure, electricity planning, and public policy.
Cloud Crisis in the Desert: The Battle Over Data Centers in Nevada’s 2026 Legislative Interim
As AI-driven data centers rapidly expand, Nevada faces rising electricity demand, water concerns, and growing scrutiny over tax incentives. During the 2026 interim session, the debate over who pays for the “cloud” is emerging as one of the state’s most controversial policy issues.
