Physical infrastructure required for large‑scale AI — especially data centers — is raising growing concern among civil‑rights advocates because these facilities often consume massive amounts of water, electricity, and land, putting extra strain on communities already facing environmental burdens.
Many of these data centers are being built or proposed in neighborhoods home to predominantly Black, Latino, or other marginalized populations — areas that frequently already struggle with pollution, limited resources, and environmental risks. These developments risk deepening longstanding environmental injustices — much like earlier infrastructure projects and heavy‑industry sitings disproportionately impacted disenfranchised communities.
Beyond resource use, there are documented health and environmental hazards tied to some AI‑related facilities. For instance, a data center operated by xAI in South Memphis has drawn criticism from the NAACP for unregulated gas turbines that reportedly release pollutants linked with cancer and other respiratory diseases — underscoring the disproportionate risks borne by nearby residents.
Civil‑rights groups are organizing to respond. They’re calling for stricter oversight and equitable siting and regulation of AI infrastructure — to ensure that communities of color aren’t left paying the price of expanding digital infrastructure.
