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CHANDLER, Arizona โ€” This Arizona suburb sent a searing warning message to Big Tech companies after city officials on Thursday night unanimously rejected a proposed artificial intelligence data center โ€” capping a fight that attracted powerful interests from Silicon Valley and Washington.

A lobbying push that included Microsoft and Meta and outside political pressure to approve the project, perhaps most significantly from former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, shined a spotlight on AI industry efforts to influence local decisions around development.

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[-] OrteilGenou@lemmy.world 36 points 2 days ago

What better place than the desert for a water-hungry installation like a data center?

[-] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 days ago

Seriously. If they have to build these giant wastes of energy, why not put them up in places like Minnesota, where for half the year you can cool the place by just opening a window.

[-] RomeCallen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

We don't want em here. Keep Minnesota free of these losers

[-] discocactus@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Deserts are cold at night. Temp swings of +/- 30ยฐ daily. That being said the water thing is a pretty big issue and I deeply regret having to vote for Sinema.

[-] Bhaelfur@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

The ~~spice~~ data must flow.

[-] eestileib 16 points 2 days ago

I'm sure Sinema's moral authority really mattered there. ๐Ÿ˜„

[-] hansolo@lemmy.today 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

She left having alienated everyone except lobbying firms. This was a time share presentation and she gets paid no matter what.

this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2025
194 points (100.0% liked)

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