The Year Data Centers Went From Backend To Center Stage
Data centers are under fire in 2025 as communities protest their rapid expansion, rising energy use, and AI-driven growth.
Matilda
The Year Data Centers Went From Backend To Center Stage
Data Centers Spark Nationwide Backlash in 2025 For years, data centers operated in the shadows—massive, humming facilities powering everything from Netflix streams to AI chatbots, yet rarely seen or discussed by the public. That changed dramatically in 2025. Fueled by explosive AI growth and surging cloud demand, these facilities have become flashpoints for local activism, environmental concern, and political debate across the U.S. If you’ve wondered why data centers are suddenly making headlines or whether they’re affecting your electricity bill, you’re not alone—communities nationwide are asking the same questions. Credit: Brandon Dill for The Washington Post / Getty Images From Invisible Infrastructure to Front-Page News Data centers were once the domain of engineers and enterprise IT teams. But as AI models like GPT-6 and multimodal agents demand unprecedented computing power, companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have raced to build new facilities at breakneck speed. According…
