Overview
- Sen. Bernie Sanders called for a national moratorium on new AI data centers, arguing a pause would let policymakers address concentrated power, potential mass job losses, and harms to children’s social development.
- He cited heavy electricity needs to justify a halt, pointing to a Meta plan in Louisiana projected to use more power than New Orleans and a Texas project linked to OpenAI and Oracle estimated at the usage of hundreds of thousands of homes.
- Elon Musk disparaged Sanders in a post calling “takers” cowards, and Sanders replied that Musk’s vision risks forcing tens of millions out of work and enriching tech oligarchs.
- Industry groups pushed back on a pause, with the Chamber of Progress urging a rapid expansion of cheap energy instead, while the administration advances pro‑AI initiatives such as the “Genesis Mission.”
- Congressional scrutiny is growing, including senators’ inquiries into whether data centers raise residential power bills, as experts estimate these facilities already consume roughly 5% of U.S. electricity.