xAI’s supercomputer in Memphis faces pushback from native leaders and environmental teams over considerations about air air pollution regardless of its promise of financial progress.
xAI’s Memphis facility was touted because the world’s largest supercomputer. It has sparked opposition from the NAACP, Sierra Membership, and Mississippi Democratic Occasion Chairman Cheikh Taylor.
State Rep. Taylor spoke at a Southaven church press convention lately, arguing that the xAI facility in Memphis, Tennessee, would disproportionately hurt black residents in north Mississippi.
“Within the State of Mississippi, the purpose is to separate Republicans and Democrats on race alone. So, in the event you’re a Democrat on this state, you most likely seem like me,” Taylor stated.
He additionally criticized prioritizing financial good points over environmental well being, asking, “Are you able to belief Elon Musk to inform the reality?”
Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson echoed these considerations, linking the opposition to a broader combat in opposition to air pollution. “The paltry cash xAI has dangled in entrance of our short-sighted leaders shouldn’t be price the price of respiratory soiled and–in some instances–lethal air,” Pearson stated.
These native leaders and environmental teams are urging native governments and the Environmental Safety Company to disclaim xAI’s air allow functions for 45 to 90 methane gasoline generators within the Memphis and Southaven areas.
xAI has indirectly addressed the criticism however has taken steps to energy its Colossus supercomputer sustainably. Final month, the Better Memphis Chamber introduced that Tesla Megapack batteries would stabilize the ability’s energy, with a brand new 150-megawatt electrical substation finishing its first development section.
“The non permanent pure gasoline generators that have been getting used to energy the Section I GPUs previous to grid connection at the moment are being demobilized and might be faraway from the positioning over the subsequent two months,” shared the Chamber.
An further 160+ Megapacks have been delivered to xAI’s Memphis facility for the Colossus 2 knowledge middle inside the identical month.
Introduced in June 2024, the xAI facility was hailed by Better Memphis Chamber CEO Ted Townsend as the biggest capital funding by a new-to-market firm in Memphis historical past. Regardless of its financial promise, environmental considerations proceed to gasoline opposition, highlighting tensions between technological innovation and group well being within the Deep South’s rising AI hub.
