A growing bipartisan push to rein in artificial intelligence is taking aim at one of its most visible components: data centers, The Washington Post writes.
Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce legislation that would halt new data center construction until Congress enacts federal AI regulations, reflecting rising public concern over the technology’s economic, environmental and societal impacts.
Though unlikely to pass, the proposal signals shifting political momentum, with support emerging across party lines and in state and local governments nationwide. Communities are increasingly wary of data centers’ energy demands, environmental footprint and potential to drive up costs, even as the industry argues such limits could hurt innovation and U.S. competitiveness.
The debate underscores a broader divide, with policymakers balancing rapid AI advancement against calls for oversight, job protections and a more equitable share of its economic gains—setting the stage for a major policy fight ahead of upcoming elections.
