Voters Reject Data Center Expansion in 10 States

Voters in at least 10 states backed restrictions on data center expansion and rejected development proposals in Tuesday’s midterm elections, amid concerns about electricity costs, land use and the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure. The newsletter also reports that Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress for the next two years, alongside state-level gains that could affect AI oversight.

The election results have put data center development and AI oversight in focus. A Democratic sweep in Texas has placed one of the country’s major AI infrastructure hubs under new political leadership, raising questions about billions of dollars in planned investment. Investors and business leaders gave mixed reactions to Democrats’ congressional takeover on Wednesday: some expected greater economic stability, while others warned of increased scrutiny of AI and data centers. The newsletter says President Donald Trump has backed large data center projects needed to power the country’s AI boom.

U.S. stocks plunged Thursday as investors sold AI stocks, while market experts said concerns on Wall Street extended beyond one bad day. Google is expanding its voluntary buyout program to selected employees in five additional countries as it seeks to control expenses while spending on AI programs. OpenAI announced Monday that former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is joining the company in a national security-related role.

At the opening of the world’s largest energy conference in Abu Dhabi, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and senior UAE officials announced a major partnership to bring advanced AI into the energy industry. The newsletter’s other items include opinion pieces arguing that reliable, affordable and secure electricity will shape the race for AI, and describing U.S. efforts to prevent China’s Communist Party from using American resources against the United States. It also notes that ChatGPT conversation history can reveal personal information when someone else uses a person’s phone or computer.

Voters in at least 10 states backed restrictions on data center expansion and rejected development proposals in Tuesday’s midterm elections, amid concerns about electricity costs, land use and the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure. The newsletter also reports that Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress for the next two years, alongside state-level gains that could affect AI oversight.

The election results have put data center development and AI oversight in focus. A Democratic sweep in Texas has placed one of the country’s major AI infrastructure hubs under new political leadership, raising questions about billions of dollars in planned investment. Investors and business leaders gave mixed reactions to Democrats’ congressional takeover on Wednesday: some expected greater economic stability, while others warned of increased scrutiny of AI and data centers. The newsletter says President Donald Trump has backed large data center projects needed to power the country’s AI boom.

U.S. stocks plunged Thursday as investors sold AI stocks, while market experts said concerns on Wall Street extended beyond one bad day. Google is expanding its voluntary buyout program to selected employees in five additional countries as it seeks to control expenses while spending on AI programs. OpenAI announced Monday that former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is joining the company in a national security-related role.

At the opening of the world’s largest energy conference in Abu Dhabi, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and senior UAE officials announced a major partnership to bring advanced AI into the energy industry. The newsletter’s other items include opinion pieces arguing that reliable, affordable and secure electricity will shape the race for AI, and describing U.S. efforts to prevent China’s Communist Party from using American resources against the United States. It also notes that ChatGPT conversation history can reveal personal information when someone else uses a person’s phone or computer.