The year data centers went from backend to center stage

The article highlights the dramatic rise in public awareness and activism surrounding data centers in the United States as of 2025. Once largely invisible and confined to the tech industry, data centers have become a focal point of protests and political debate due to their rapid expansion driven by the booming AI and cloud computing sectors. Over the past year, 142 activist groups across 24 states have mobilized against new data center developments, citing concerns about environmental impact, energy consumption, and strain on local power grids. This surge in activism reflects the industry's exponential growth, with construction spending on data centers increasing by 331% since 2021, fueled by major tech companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as government initiatives promoting AI infrastructure. The backlash is evident nationwide, with communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Southern California actively opposing proposed data centers, often on environmental and quality-of-life grounds. Activists like Danny Candejas of MediaJustice report growing grassroots organizing efforts, suggesting that resistance to