Data centres become a hot-button issue ahead of US midterms

Data centres, which power everything from web searches to AI tools, have become a major issue ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, with both Republicans and Democrats opposing new projects over electricity use and environmental concerns. President Donald Trump has dismissed the backlash as a 'sick conspiracy'. About 12,250 data centres exist worldwide, up from roughly 8,000 in 2021.