Energy minister Chris Bowen announced that the federal government will use commonwealth legislation to override state opposition and mandate that new AI datacentres run on renewable energy while banning gas-fuelled facilities.
A £500m redevelopment of the Truman Brewery estate in east London's Brick Lane has been approved by housing secretary Angela Rayner, paving the way for a datacentre, offices, and apartments despite strong local opposition.
Queensland and the Northern Territory have rejected the federal government's plans to mandate renewable power use in AI datacentres, calling them 'underdeveloped ideas' that centralize power in Canberra, as S&P Global warns of potential five-fold increase in datacentre power use by 2035.
A proposed 350-hectare mega datacentre in Plumpton, Victoria, has ignited community outrage due to its massive scale, potential environmental impacts, and perceived lack of consultation, despite promises of job creation and renewable energy integration.
Northern Territory minister Robyn Cahill faced criticism for claiming groundwater use prevents Earth's magnetic poles from flipping, a scientifically inaccurate statement. Experts refuted her claims, while environmental groups raised concerns about datacentre water consumption and called for a ban.
Google faces delays with its Gemini 3.5 AI model, impacting its market position, while Chinese startup Moonshot releases a free, open-weight model, intensifying US-China AI competition. Simultaneously, Silicon Valley workers are taking collective action, including lawsuits and petitions, to protect their jobs from AI automation amidst the industry boom.
Water UK warns the government that the UK lacks sufficient water for future datacentres, criticizing "fatally flawed" forecasts that exclude their high demand. This threatens AI growth plans, especially in water-stressed regions already facing hosepipe bans.
Australia is grappling with the profound societal and economic impact of artificial intelligence, prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to outline a national strategy focused on protecting sovereignty, fostering job creation, and avoiding past mistakes amidst global investment and ethical debates.
The Albanese government plans new national rules for AI in government decision-making, consumer protection, workplace safety, and privacy, led by Attorney General Michelle Rowland. It also aims to legislate a digital duty of care and regulate energy-intensive data centres, with concerns raised by the opposition.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese outlined a promising AI policy pivot, committing to laws protecting local creatives' intellectual property and addressing community concerns over datacentre energy use, but the speech lacked crucial policy details.
Tech journalists are increasingly engaging in 'shoe-leather reporting' to investigate the physical realities of AI, from colossal datacentres and energy infrastructure to social media's real-world harms. This involves on-the-ground investigation, talking to locals, and examining tangible constraints, moving beyond digital landscapes.
Australia grapples with balancing AI investment and copyright protection. Tech giants lobby for exemptions to train AI models, while creatives fear a "betrayal" if protections are weakened. Government ministers are divided on the approach.
Microsoft, Amazon, and Google's combined carbon emissions increased by nearly a fifth in the past year, reaching 119m mTCO₂e, largely due to datacentre construction for AI. This surge contrasts with previous efforts to reduce emissions and highlights concerns about the ecological impact of cloud computing and AI development.
South Korean chip maker SK hynix is set to raise $26.5 billion through a mega US listing on Nasdaq, capitalizing on the AI boom. The offering, one of the world's largest, aims to fund new fabrication hubs and advanced packaging facilities, with shares already showing strong interest.
Residents near New Zealand's first AI datacenter in Makarewa are demanding transparency regarding its significant electricity and water usage, potential noise pollution, and long-term economic benefits, citing concerns about environmental impact and lack of community consultation.
Australia faces a boom in datacenters, driven by AI, with profound economic and environmental consequences. While AI offers benefits, the massive energy and water consumption of datacenters strains resources and could slow the transition to net zero emissions. The economic benefits are questioned due to imported equipment and limited job creation, raising concerns about whether technology truly serves the Australian people.
Australia is experiencing a boom in datacentre construction, driven by AI development, but this growth poses significant economic and environmental challenges. Concerns include massive energy and water consumption, waste heat, limited job creation, and potential strain on renewable energy transitions.
Campaigners in east London's Brick Lane oppose a proposed 5,200 sq metre datacentre, arguing it will worsen the severe housing crisis, drive up costs, and displace long-term residents. The project, intended for high-frequency trading, was rejected by Tower Hamlets council but is now under government review.
Hundreds of large-scale datacentre projects, crucial for AI, face significant hurdles including energy supply, high costs, and local opposition. Many announced projects are delayed or cancelled, impacting AI firms like Google, while global power grids struggle to meet demand.
Scotland's government may consider a moratorium on new datacenters, a move that could jeopardize the UK's AI strategy. The SNP national council passed a motion to freeze projects lacking planning permission, citing "overdevelopment" and environmental concerns.
A major AI datacentre complex in Scotland, promised to be powered by on-site renewables, has misrepresented its energy plans. Documents reveal developers and the government were aware of power provision issues, raising doubts about the UK's AI infrastructure ambitions.
Residents in Lanarkshire, Scotland, fear a planned AI datacentre complex will negatively impact their properties and green belt land, with concerns over misleading job and investment promises. The project, part of the UK's AI growth zone initiative, may rely on the national grid rather than solely on-site renewables, and job figures appear inflated.
OpenAI's multibillion-pound Stargate UK datacentre project is under scrutiny as reports reveal a lack of site visits and questionable investment figures. The UK government touted £30bn in potential investment, but £20bn appears hypothetical, raising doubts about the project's substance and its role in US-UK AI cooperation.
OpenAI's "Stargate UK" datacentre project, touted as a major US-UK tech partnership, faces scrutiny. Revelations show OpenAI never visited key sites, and £20bn of £30bn "potential" investment may have been hypothetical, raising questions about the project's substance.
