The fight against AI data centers isn’t just about tech – it’s about democracy | Astra Taylor and Saul Levin

Claims of nimbyism are a misunderstanding: the movement is about whether regular people have a say in fundamental decisions

Since the surreal scene at the 2024 presidential inauguration, when a row of big tech titans took their VIP seats and signaled their new alliance with Maga, the Trump administration has rolled out the red carpet for Silicon Valley’s AI ambitions and shareholder priorities.

Washington has doled out billions in lucrative federal subsidies and contracts to the cash-rich sector, bloating an AI bubble that experts warn may imperil the entire economy while prohibiting any guardrails on the fast-moving technology.