Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta and others signed a nonbinding pledge agreeing to cover the cost of powering AI data centers. OpenAI operates a sprawling Stargate AI data center in Abilene, Texas, as seen in September 2025. Communities across the US have been pushing back against the rapid expansion of data centers built to power artificial intelligence. Residents and local officials rightly argue that facilities consume large amounts of electricity and water, strain power grids, and cause...
