Should Data Center Companies Take a Lesson From the Fracking Boom?

Microsoft’s rollout of “community-first” AI infrastructure plan this week wasn’t any ordinary corporate announcement. 

In a splashy event just outside Washington D.C., Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith laid out five big promises to address flagging enthusiasm about new data centers in communities. This included a commitment to pay more for electricity to ensure that data centers don’t drive up consumer electricity costs and a promise to create jobs for local residents. The announcement...