The fight against AI data centers is just beginning

Years before the AI boom strained local power grids, residents in Athenry, Ireland, began protesting Apple’s planned roughly $1 billion, 500-acre data center intended to support iTunes, iMessage, and Siri across Europe. The dispute foreshadowed today’s fights over AI infrastructure, where massive data center buildouts are colliding with local concerns about electricity, land use, and community impact.

A yard sign opposing a planned data center is displayed along Route 54 in Mount Carmel Township Northumberland County. | Image: Getty Images This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the data center buildout, follow Emma Roth . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes on Sunday at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started Years before the AI boom threatened local power grids, a small group of protesters set the stage for the battles cropping up across communities today. In 2015, Apple announced plans to build a roughly $1 billion data center in the sleepy town of Athenry, Ireland. The data center's 500-acre site would power Apple's services in Europe, including iTunes, iMessage, and Siri. At th … Read the full story at The Verge.