Technology
|
Technology
|
|
|
|
Your feedback matters to us.
|
|
|
|
Data centers become flash point in gubernatorial races |
Political backlash to data centers is putting gubernatorial candidates in the hot seat as the presence of the massive AI infrastructure becomes a flash point in races up and down the ballot.
|
© Jeff Amy, Associated Press
|
Incumbent governors and hopeful challengers are forced to wrestle with Americans’ growing concerns around artificial intelligence, along with fears about energy prices and land use driven by data center construction.
Data centers, the sprawling buildings that can be used to power AI models and systems along with other technologies, are one of the only tangible signs of AI’s rapid development.
“Could you invent an easier political target if you tried?” said Sam Silverman, founder of the Silverman Strategy Group, which focuses on the intersection of technology and politics. “Absent gigantic changes in strategy, this only gets worse.”
“I’m generally a techno-optimist, and I’d advise anyone actively campaigning as pro-data center in their community that it’s electoral malpractice,” Silverman told The Hill Friday.
The debate over data centers is heating up in the states, where lawmakers are rallying behind state moratoria or stricter regulations meant to address the environmental and economic impact of data centers.
Candidates are latching onto this momentum — or backtracking on their previous support for AI infrastructure — to win over voters.
Silverman said gubernatorial races are “where the rubber is first meeting the road on a lot of these policies.”
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
|
Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we’re Julia Shapero and Miranda Nazzaro — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
|
|
|
|
How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:
|
Microsoft carbon emissions rose 25 percent in 2025 as AI data centers grow
|
|
|
|
Microsoft reported a 25 percent jump in carbon emissions in 2025 as it sets out to grow its use of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The emissions increase was “driven primarily by the expansion of our datacenter infrastructure and pausing our use of non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates as we prioritize investments that bring net new power to grids,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President …
|
|
|
|
|
States sue to block Paramount-Warner Brothers Discovery merger
|
|
|
|
A dozen state attorneys general on Monday filed a joint lawsuit seeking to block Paramount’s pending takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery, the sprawling media company that owns one of the world’s largest movie and television studios and cable news channel CNN. The deal would harm competition and have a negative impact on the business of media and entertainment, the attorneys general argued, “creating a massive …
|
|
|
|
|
Meta expanding plans for its largest data center
|
|
|
|
Meta will expand its largest data center to 5 gigawatts of compute capacity as investment in the project hits more than $50 billion, the company announced Monday. The Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, La., was announced in October and was originally projected to cost more than $27 billion as part of Meta’s joint venture with Blue Owl Capital. The increased compute capacity will contribute to Meta’s long-term …
|
|
|
|
|
Elon Musk, Sam Altman bicker on X after Apple files OpenAI lawsuit
|
|
|
|
Technology leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman traded barbs on social media over the weekend after the SpaceX founder used Apple’s new trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI to bash Altman over an alleged “scam.” Musk on Saturday posted to the social platform X that Altman “takes scamming to a whole new level,” nearly a day after Apple announced its lawsuit against OpenAI for allegedly attempting to …
|
|
|
|
|
News we’ve flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
|
- Children's social media curbs planned across EU, van der Leyen says (Reuters)
- Apple's lawsuit threatens to disrupt OpenAI's bid to rival iPhone (Bloomberg)
|
|
|
|
Crypto faces make-or-break moment
|
A cryptocurrency regulation bill is facing a make-or-break moment as senators seek to resolve remaining policy disputes in the next four-week stretch, which experts warn is likely the last window to pass the legislation before the midterm elections.
Bipartisan negotiations over the Clarity Act, which aims to provide a regulatory framework for the digital assets industry, are coming down to the wire ahead of Congress’ monthlong August recess.
Republicans and crypto-friendly Democrats still have yet to reach agreements on key sticking points, like ethics rules for government officials and illicit finance.
If the bill fails to move forward before lawmakers leave town next month, there is little room in the calendar for another push before the midterms, which could shift control of Congress and send the legislation back to the starting line.
“In order to pass a cryptocurrency market structure bill this year, we think Congress needs to finish the bill before the August recess,” Brian Gardner, chief Washington policy strategist at the wealth management and investment banking firm Stifel, wrote in a note in late June.
“Passing a bill during the lame duck session following the midterm elections is hypothetically possible, but unlikely,” he said, adding, “We expect that talks will continue, but the calendar is the enemy. Time is running short. “
Check out a full break down of the status of Clarity talks here.
|
Crypto Corner is a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.
|
|
|
|
Branch out with other reads on The Hill:
|
Trump urges Senate to pass crypto bill in honor of Graham
|
President Trump called on the Senate to pass a cryptocurrency regulation bill Monday in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who unexpectedly died over the weekend. “In honor of Senator Lindsey Graham, a big supporter, the U.S. Senate should pass the Clarity Act,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “China, and many other countries, would like to take complete and total control of this major financial ‘happening,’ …
|
|
|
|
Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill:
|
|
|
|
|
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
|
400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001
|
Copyright © 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
