Can data centers ever be "good neighbors"?
Summary
Marketplace Tech discusses growing public distrust of data centers, with 60% of Americans opposing new construction due to localized harms like noise and rising energy costs. Scott Brennan of NYU’s Center on Technology Policy argues that developers must shift from minimizing damage to providing tangible community benefits, such as renewable energy investments and workforce funds. While examples from Virginia and Louisiana show potential for tax relief and school support, a deep-seated crisis of trust persists, making it difficult for hyperscalers to convince skeptical communities that their…
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Tomorrow is Cure podcast introduction
Survey: Public backlash against AI data centers
Localized harms vs. collective benefits of data centers
Strategies for data centers to be good neighbors
Case studies: Community benefits in Virginia and Louisiana
Data centers as symbols of broader tech distrust
Sponsor: Tomorrow is Cure podcast introduction
Indiana case: Suspicion despite large community grants
Historical skepticism of data center job promises
The shift: Communities gaining leverage over developers
Conclusion: Mitigating harms and the trust deficit
Marketplace Tech fall campaign and donation appeal
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