Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says data center builders must be good neighbors
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang warns data center builders to partner with local towns early.
The short version
- New York just placed a one-year freeze on new data centers over grid strain.
- Texas also paused new connections while studying power use and noise limits.
Why it matters to you. If you own a building or a warehouse near a planned server farm, expect town boards to start demanding strict rules and public transparency before any concrete gets poured.
Nvidia, the massive chip maker that powers the artificial intelligence boom, is warning the companies building massive data centers that they have to start acting like good neighbors. Jensen Huang, the chief executive officer of Nvidia, says builders must reach out to local towns before breaking ground and partner directly with residents.
Speaking during the company's GTC event in Berlin, according to Yahoo Finance, Huang said developers need to be upfront about the new neighbors coming to town. Data center construction is running into heavy opposition across the country as towns push back against constant noise, heavy water usage, and spiking electricity bills.
New York just placed a one-year statewide moratorium on new data center builds, while Texas has put a hold on connecting new facilities to the state power grid. To calm local anger, tech giants like Microsoft, which owns the Windows operating system and cloud software, and Amazon, the giant online retailer, are dropping controversial nondisclosure agreements that kept local leaders from talking about projects.
Huang suggested builders chip in by supporting schools, community centers, and lower local taxes.
