Technology — Virginia's 'data center alley' gives glimpse into America's AI future

View Online Technology Technology The Big Story  Virginia's 'data center alley' gives glimpse into America's AI future  As data centers hurtle to the forefront of the national debate over AI and energy costs, northern Virginia offers a preview of the political fights that will play out in communities across the country seeking to cash in on the booming industry.  © Illustration / Samantha Wong; Kristina Blokhin, Adobe Stock; and Adobe Stock Virginia is the unofficial data center capital of the world, with more than half of the world's internet traffic running through hundreds of facilities in Loudoun and Fairfax counties, generating some 74,000 jobs and $9.1 billion for the state's economy each year.    But the sprawling data centers are also transforming the landscape and gobbling up massive amounts of water and electricity, leading state politicians to grapple with how to regulate and monitor the rapid development — without alienating the powerful interests backing the projects, from tech giants to local leaders and labor unions.    It's a delicate balance that's quickly moving to the center of a national conversation about how to execute on the Trump administration's push to rapidly expand the country's AI infrastructure.    Policymakers across the country are watching Virginia's efforts closely, said Michael Villa, an analyst at 10a Labs, the AI company behind the Data Center Watch Project.   "They look up to Northern Virginia because [they] are the ones with more experience and where this dynamic has been working for longer," he told The Hill.    The Hill's Surina Venkat and Lee Ann Anderson have more here. Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, I'm Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: Sanders: AI 'most consequential technology in the history of humanity' Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suggested Sunday that AI is the "most consequential technology in the history of humanity," as he reiterated his call for a moratorium on data center construction.  "It will transform our country. It will transform the world," Sanders said on CNN's "State of the Union." "And we have not had in Congress, in the media — and I’m glad you’re doing …  Full Story 'Godfather' of AI says he's 'more worried' today about AI Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “godfather” of artificial intelligence, said he’s “more worried” about the risks of AI today than he was two years ago, when he left his post at Google and began speaking freely about the dangers of the fast-developing technology. In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Hinton addressed his broader concerns about AI, specifically the risk that …  Full Story Britt calls for Congress to act on AI, saying companies put 'profit over actual people' Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) called on Congress to pass her legislation to protect minors from the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), saying social media companies won't act because they prioritize profit "over actual people." In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Britt said parental controls that companies like OpenAI have said they're rolling out are "definitely steps in the right direction" but said it's up to …  Full Story The Refresh  News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: Nvidia, joining Big Tech deal spree, to license Groq technology, hire executives (Reuters) OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness (TechCrunch) In Other News  Branch out with other reads on The Hill: FCC blacklists foreign-made drones over security, spying concerns The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned new foreign-made drones from being sold in the U.S. on Monday, citing national security concerns.  In a notice, the FCC said it was adding uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components made in foreign countries to its covered list.  Such a distinction bars such products from being sold or imported in the U.S., as they "pose an unacceptable risk to … Full Story Op-eds in The Hill Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill: TV news fades: A generational media shift is underway Feeling burned out at work? Here's the fix. Trump chooses to go back to the moon — and to do it this decade   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Technology page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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