Internet data centers have operated in Kansas City for decades, but the recent increase in demand is for facilities that can support the enormous computing and energy needs of artificial intelligence. Some of these facilities have already begun operating in the Northland.
Andrew Chien, a professor of computer science at the University of Chicago, said one of these specialized data centers can consume 1-5 gigawatts of power, which is equivalent to what one power plant can produce in a day or the power demand of 1 million homes.
“The quantity of energy being consumed is a real concern at societal scale, especially when people are worried about climate change and the environmental impacts of carbon emissions,” said Chien. “There's carbon emissions not just from the power consumption, but from the construction, the materials and the silicon chips that are going in.”
These companies are attracted to the Midwest because of the land availability and variety of power sources like wind and nuclear. In addition to cheaper utilities, the location can be a central hub to connect the east and west coast.
But residents are already seeing the demand from data centers increasing their own utility bills.
Despite these concerns, companies are racing to build these facilities to train AI models and increase the capacity for users — with the goal of embedding them in almost every computing task in the future.
Chien said companies are often overstating the local benefit that data centers will bring. While the construction process can lead to hundreds of temporary jobs, most centers only offer around 100 full-time, permanent jobs, many of which can be worked remotely.
He argues there needs to be a negotiation between communities and tech companies to make sure the development is mutually beneficial.
- Andrew Chien, professor of computer science, the University of Chicago
