Data centre debate heats up ahead of US midterms

Ahead of the 3 November US midterms, data centres have become a major political issue, with both Republicans and Democrats opposing expansion. There are about 12,250 data centres worldwide, 4,767 of them in the US, and the industry is expected to spend $765bn on AI infrastructure in 2026.

• About 12,250 data centres worldwide, up from around 8,000 in 2021
• The US has 4,767 sites, the most of any country
• 16 US states have proposed laws to ban or pause new facilities
• AI infrastructure spending is expected to reach $765bn in 2026