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Until a few years ago many of us may have been blissfully unaware of what a data centre was.<\/b><\/p>\n
These giant, warehouse-like buildings power virtually all our internet activity, from our web searches and emails to movie downloads and online banking.<\/p>\n
They are at the heart of the AI boom, housing the advanced computer chips and servers needed to run services like ChatGPT and Claude.<\/p>\n
But the speed at which they’re growing, the enormous amount of electricity they consume and concerns about their environmental impact are fuelling a public backlash around the world.<\/p>\n
In the US, they’ve become a huge issue ahead of the midterm elections on 3 November, with both Republicans and opposition Democrats coming out against their development.<\/p>\n
It’s putting opponents of data centre expansion on a collision course with US President Donald Trump, who has dismissed the pushback as a “sick conspiracy”, even as public anger grows.<\/p>\n
Here’s what you need to know about the data centre boom, and why opposition is growing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n