It’s no secret that living near a data center can be hell on Earth. The widely-loathed facilities are known to emit constant screeching noises that could drive anybody crazy, while causing electricity prices to surge, and spiking greenhouse gas emissions.
As the backlash to the massive buildout of AI data centers continues to grow into a major bipartisan issue affecting the imminent midterm elections, tech companies are racing to ward off future legal challenges.
Yet, being a good neighbor is proving extremely difficult for them. As The Guardian reports, real estate agents hired by Elon Musk’s xAI have been going door to door in Southaven, Mississippi, promising residents to buy their homes as long as they sign documents promising not to sue them over their data centers’ noise.
It’s only the latest sign of how immensely unpopular the sprawling complexes have become, with firms like xAI reaching for drastic measures to undercut an uprising — and a litany of lawsuits filed by horrified neighbors. Needless to say, the latest news is bound to stoke the fire even more.
