Datacentres

The UK's datacentre plans may face water shortages, according to a trade body. The water industry criticizes the government's AI growth strategy, citing insufficient water resources for cooling datacentres, which require significant water for cooling systems and electricity.

The UK water industry warns that insufficient water resources will hinder future datacentre expansion, criticizing the government’s AI growth plans as 'fatally flawed' due to unaddressed cooling demands. Datacentres require significant water for cooling systems, both directly and indirectly through energy consumption.

Anthony Albanese addressed AI regulation in a speech at the University of Sydney, announcing an AI office to protect Australian creatives from copyright theft and regulate datacentres.

Datacentres operated by big tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are responsible for carbon emissions equivalent to a third of France's total emissions. The article highlights the growing environmental impact of these companies' infrastructure.

Microsoft, Amazon, and Google's collective carbon emissions increased by nearly 20% in the past year due to datacentre construction, reaching 119m mTCO₂e—equivalent to a third of France's emissions. All three companies still aim to achieve net zero carbon output despite the construction boom.

Microsoft, Amazon, and Google’s collective carbon emissions rose by nearly 20% in the past year due to datacentre construction, reaching 119 million metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent—about a third of France’s emissions. The companies maintain their commitment to achieving net-zero carbon output despite the construction boom.

The Scottish government is considering a proposed moratorium on new datacentre projects, which could challenge the UK’s AI strategy. The Scottish National Party’s national council passed a motion to freeze such projects, now under review by the Scottish government.

The Scottish government is considering a moratorium on new datacentres after the Scottish National Party's national council passed a motion to freeze such projects, potentially challenging the UK's AI strategy.

Residents near Europe’s largest datacentre hub in Slough report unbearable summer heat linked to a heat island effect, with temperatures rising up to 9C. Research suggests datacentres contribute to this effect, and a local store manager describes the heat as physically oppressive.

Independent senator David Pocock urged the Albanese government to prevent tech companies from using Australian content to train AI models. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for a moratorium on new datacentres until regulations are finalized.

The article discusses growing public backlash against AI, citing Eric Schmidt's booing at a University of Arizona commencement and widespread opposition to resource-intensive datacentres. It highlights concerns about AI's negative impact on jobs, creativity, and human relationships, with critics arguing its benefits are overstated.

The article presents a fictional 2031 scenario where the US and China dominate AI development, leaving Europe vulnerable to sovereignty threats due to underinvestment in AI infrastructure and robotics. The US prioritizes data centers and AI integration in workflows, while Europe relies on AI for administrative tasks without comparable technological advancement.

The Australian economy slowed sharply in early 2026, with living standards declining despite a boom in datacentres. The slowdown occurred before the Middle East conflict and interest rate hikes intensified, and recent economic data shows limited positive signs.

Datacentres in Ireland consumed 22% of the country’s electricity last year, increasing household bills. A study suggests this energy demand pattern could spread across Europe, with the US and UK using 6% for similar purposes.

Datacentres in Ireland consumed 22% of the country’s electricity last year, increasing household electricity bills. This pattern could replicate across Europe, according to a report comparing Ireland’s usage to 6% in the US and UK.

Chile's push to become Latin America's technology hub is intensifying a mega-drought, with datacentres linked to the drying of the Quilicura wetland. Local activist Rodrigo Vallejos and environmental group Resistencia Socioambiental de Quilicura highlight the ecological impact.

BT's CEO Allison Kirkby warns that smartphone prices could rise due to semiconductor chip shortages caused by tech companies purchasing large quantities of memory chips for AI-powered datacentres. The AI boom is creating supply chain pressure that may impact consumer electronics pricing.

Residents in Australian cities are resisting the rapid development of large datacentres, citing environmental concerns and disruptive construction. Proponents argue Australia must capitalize on the data boom to avoid economic stagnation, with examples like 'Australia’s largest hyperscale AI factory' in West Footscray facing local backlash.

US tech firms, including Microsoft, successfully lobbied the EU to conceal the environmental impact of datacentres by incorporating a confidentiality clause into EU rules. This clause, adopted almost verbatim from industry demands, limits public access to granular green metrics, hindering scrutiny of individual datacentre emissions.

US tech firms, including Microsoft and trade groups, successfully lobbied the EU to include a confidentiality clause in its rules, hiding datacentre emissions data. This provision, adopted verbatim from industry demands in 2024, restricts public access to green metrics, hindering environmental scrutiny.