data centers

2026-09-18

REGULATION · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

Virginia governor signs Executive Order 22 creating AI task force and curbing data center approvals

Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 directing state agencies to create an AI task force to assess AI risks such as workforce displacement and data privacy, ban executive-branch NDAs for data-center projects, speed noise-rulemaking, and review backup-generation operations. The order is accompanied by a new Data Center Accountability Framework that seeks to remove some by-right approvals and state subsidies and add environmental and consumer protections.

6.0

2026-09-16

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · MIT Technology Review AI

Syensqo says AI-driven materials discovery can address semiconductor and data‑center limits

Syensqo (represented by CTO Mike Finelli) argues that growing AI workloads are pushing semiconductors and data centers toward physical limits and that advanced materials are increasingly decisive for future performance. The company is developing high‑voltage data‑center materials, sealing compounds, and thermal‑management fluids and says it uses AI agents to screen millions of molecular candidates to accelerate and de‑risk laboratory development while aiming to improve sustainability alongside performance.

5.0

2026-09-16

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · InfoQ AI, ML & Data Engineering

Dropbox details how infrastructure-efficiency work creates headroom for AI

Dropbox outlined how a decade of infrastructure optimization is helping it absorb growing AI demand without treating new data-center capacity as the only solution. The company's efforts include forecasting, fleet utilization, storage density, hardware lifecycles and rack-level power delivery, many of which predate the current AI boom.

6.0

2026-09-15

REGULATION · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

NYT/Siena poll: majority of likely voters oppose AI data centers; no clear party advantage

A New York Times and Siena University poll of 1,503 likely voters found 61% oppose constructing data centers to power AI, and reported that neither major party holds a clear advantage on the issue. The data confirm broad public negativity toward AI and data‑center projects that politicians are reacting to.

6.0

2026-09-15

REGULATION · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

AI data center boom fuels local backlash as Philadelphia faces construction plans in former refinery neighborhood

National opposition to rapid data center construction tied to the AI boom has reached Philadelphia, where city officials have raised the possibility of building a data center in a neighborhood already affected by a now-defunct oil refinery. The report highlights community concern over siting decisions and industrial legacies as AI infrastructure expands.

6.0

2026-09-13

MONEY · 1 SOURCE · WIRED AI

Shift to resource‑intensive agentic AI in Silicon Valley is driving data center buildout

Silicon Valley is moving beyond simple chatbot queries toward agentic AI systems that are far more resource‑intensive, and that shift is a major factor behind increased data center construction and capacity expansion.

7.0