Cities and towns across the world are facing big changes as companies rush to build AI data centers. These special buildings hold powerful computers that make AI systems work. This weekly update shows how this technology boom is affecting infrastructure and city planning.

TeraWulf is planning to build an AI data center in Lansing, New York. On October 7, company leaders explained their plans to local residents at a packed school auditorium. The project would use about 180 acres of land where an old power station used to stand. When it opens at the end of 2026, the center will use 50 megawatts of mostly clean energy. To understand how much power that is, think about it this way - one megawatt can power about 750 homes.

The company says good things will come to Lansing. They expect to create 500 construction jobs while building the center. Once it opens, there will be 100 permanent jobs for people who live nearby. The company also promises to pay a lot of taxes. They said property owners in town could save about $180 per month because of the tax money the center brings in. Plus, they will give $100,000 each year to a community fund that local people can control.

But many residents have concerns. Some people don't trust the company's promises. They want to see official plans before believing anything. Water use is a big worry because AI data centers need water to cool their computers. TeraWulf says they can bring in 300,000 gallons of special water from somewhere else if using local water is a problem. People also worry about electric bills going up. The company says this won't happen because of how the power system works in their area.

A librarian from Cornell University raised important questions about AI itself. She talked about how ChatGPT sometimes makes up fake information. She said AI can hurt researchers and is not good for the environment. She asked people to think carefully about what it means to bring AI technology to their town. These concerns show that AI data centers are about more than just buildings and jobs - they affect how communities think about technology.

The data center boom is happening everywhere. According to a report from October 9, many new projects started across North America in recent weeks. In Kansas City, plans were announced for a massive $100 billion data center campus that will have six huge buildings. In the same city, another company is turning an old newspaper building into an AI data center. Nvidia and OpenAI announced they will spend $100 billion together to build AI infrastructure with 10 gigawatts of power. The first buildings will open in late 2026.

Other big projects include a partnership between energy company Ameresco and the US Navy. They are building a 100-megawatt AI data center at a naval air station. In Texas, a company put an AI data center in a small rural town, working with the local school district. This shows AI infrastructure is not just for big cities anymore.

Europe is also seeing lots of AI data center activity. Microsoft made a $6 billion deal with Norway to rent AI computing power. Norway is good for data centers because it has lots of clean energy from water power. In the United Kingdom, Nvidia and OpenAI announced a $15 billion project to build AI infrastructure. A company called Nscale raised over a billion dollars to build data centers there.

The biggest challenge for all these projects is electricity. AI data centers need huge amounts of power - often as much as a small or medium-sized city. The problem is that power companies usually take 5 to 10 years to build new power lines and substations. But AI companies don't want to wait that long. They are willing to pay extra money to get power faster.

Companies are finding creative solutions. Some are making deals to buy electricity directly from power plants. Microsoft made a deal to restart an old nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. Others are building their own power generators right next to their data centers. Big companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are also paying for new wind and solar farms to be built.

Experts say spending on AI infrastructure will keep growing. In 2025, companies will spend about $400 billion. By 2030, that number could reach $1.5 trillion. This massive spending is reshaping how cities think about power, water, and land use.

Local governments need help understanding these changes. The National League of Cities published a guide on October 7 to help towns and cities learn about data centers. The guide explains that data centers can be good for communities if planned carefully. Cities need to think about sustainability, zoning laws, and infrastructure before approving projects. Residents worry about environmental impacts and whether their town will have enough electricity and water for everyone.

This week's news shows that AI technology is not just about computers and software. It is changing real places where real people live. Cities must plan carefully to make sure AI infrastructure helps their communities while protecting the environment and keeping life good for residents.