Alabama Town's Festival Rebrand to 'AI Love Irondale Day' Sparks Backlash

There are a few ways to describe Irondale, Alabama - like Birmingham's smaller neighbor, home to the cafe that inspired the '90's Southern dramedy "Fried Green Tomatoes." And Irondale resident John Horton calls his town a hidden gem.

John Horton: I don't want to sound corny and say there's a certain magic to it, but it's right by the railroad tracks. You got Whistle Stop Cafe. You have that sunset. I mean, that - it's - there's something beautiful about it.

Horton's taking in the sights and barbecue smells at Irondale's annual summer festival. But this year, the festival got a new name. A few weeks ago, the mayor announced on his Facebook page that I Love Irondale Day will be called AI Love Irondale Day. Get it? People in the comments did and hated it. Some of them trashed AI, calling it absolutely garbage for the environment, and called the festival an AI slop event. Another person said the post sounded like a pep rally for what's become a boogeyman in the South - data centers. John Horton knows the feeling.

Horton: Boo (laughter). Yeah. Yeah. No, I don't like data centers.

Data centers powering AI are popping up all over the South and causing worries about what they'll do to utility bills and the environment. These centers need a lot of power and water.

Horton: I just think it's a waste of space, resources, community.

Nearby Bessemer, Alabama, is prepping for a multibillion-dollar data center, and residents have been fighting against it. Irondale Mayor James Stewart did not comment when I reached out to his office, but a week before the festival, he posted a video online backtracking on the AI Love Irondale name.

James Stewart: It was a play on words. However, because people misinterpreted the title - it's not about AI. It's not about data centers - we decided to give it its old name, I Love Irondale Day.

One city council member I ran into at the festival said he does not expect data centers to ever come to Irondale, but the council is creating new rules in case one does. And even with AI no longer in the name, the festival did have a tech theme. John Horton got a kick watching human dancers on stilts, dressed as robots.

Horton: Dancing to "Achy Breaky Heart" in Spanish, and I thought that was incredible. I loved that part.

The only sign of actual AI at the festival is a screen set up with a chatbot. Festivalgoers were supposed to teach the AI about Irondale, but the bot was not working.

Now, not everyone had a problem with the festival briefly being named after AI.

Amelia Fielder: Fine for me (laughter). Everything else is AI. Why not (laughter)?

Amelia Fielder has lived in Irondale for 26 years. And she, for one, would welcome a data center neighbor.

Fielder: I wouldn't think it would be a bad thing. I think it'll bring jobs.

The festival's big tech hit is the drone show finale.

Dewar Gaines: Oh, look, Quint. Look. There they are, right there. Look at the drones.

Dewar Gaines is watching with his son.

Gaines: That's cool. Quint, you see the drones, buddy?

Gaines owns a dog treat factory in Irondale, and he does use AI for work.

Gaines: I don't want a data center where I live, but I use AI at scale. So I guess I'm a hypocrite in that regard.

He knows how loud data centers can be and doesn't want that near Irondale. But he does say AI is the most powerful tool he has.

Stephan Bisaha, NPR News.