Data centers are reshaping communities. Local journalists should take notice.

Fueled by AI, massive new facilities are reshaping communities and creating a major reporting opportunity for local newsrooms

The 1967 film “The Graduate” gave us this iconic bit of career advice: “Plastics.”

Coming off a couple of midterm election workshops in the Midwest, my advice to any newsroom that cares to listen comes down to two words: Data centers.

These massive warehouses of data processing hardware are measured in mega, even gigawatts of power demand, enough to supply 600,000 homes. A medium-sized facility can require 100 million gallons of water a year to keep all that equipment cool. Fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence, they are popping up across the country.