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The US Is Fighting for Control of AI. It Would Be Better Off Building Standards.
Despite shaping internet governance for decades through ICANN and core protocols, the US holds no equivalent structural lever over AI. The Pentagon's standoff with Anthropic over model access echoes the Bush-era .xxx domain fight that eroded US credibility. Agent interoperability standards — now forming through NIST's Center for AI Standards and Innovation — may offer…
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Experts say utilities’ projected data center growth is speculative
Despite utilities in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina requesting roughly 10 GW of new generation capacity, independent modeling puts the most likely data center electricity need at 3.5 to 5.5 GW — a 0.2 percent chance of the full buildout materializing. The approved plan carries an estimated $50-60 billion price tag for ratepayers.
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Megawatts Over People: The Real Cost of Artificial Intelligence and Why It Is Not Inevitable – NCEJN
Dr. Rania Masri, NCEJN co-director, details how data centers and AI infrastructure burden North Carolina communities through rising electricity costs, water depletion during active drought, PFAS contamination from cooling systems, noise and land conversion. One Stokes County proposal alone covers 1,800 acres. Projects in Edgecombe and Cumberland counties face similar pressures.
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AI at a Cost: Global E-Waste Management for Data Centers & Tech Supply Chain Specialists
AI hardware refresh cycles of three to five years leave data centers with growing volumes of decommissioned GPUs, storage arrays and cooling systems. Global importer-of-record and logistics providers handle certified e-waste disposal, data sanitization and reverse logistics across jurisdictions with conflicting hazardous-materials regulations.
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Ticking Time Bomb: AI, Data Centers, and the Looming E-Waste Crisis
Between 20 million and 70 million hard disk drives reach end of life each year in the U.S. — most shredded and landfilled. AI-driven hardware refresh cycles compress equipment lifespans to three to five years, accelerating data center e-waste. Data sanitization for reuse and modular, upgradeable hardware design can reduce reliance on physical destruction.
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Untangling the Emissions Web: Navigating Standards and Regulations for Data Centers
Maricopa County's air quality downgrade cuts major-source emission caps from 100 to 50 tons, tightening run-hour limits on data center diesel backup generators. A Cummins-sponsored panel compares permitting requirements across Arizona, California and Oregon, including Best Available Control Technology standards and after-treatment systems for non-attainment zones.
Exposing AI Data Center Threats and Harms