Wed 16 Sep 2026 07.55 EDTLast modified on Wed 16 Sep 2026 07.56 EDT Large-scale datacentres will face mandatory environmental assessments before they can go ahead, the Scottish government has announced, amid growing public concern about the impact of the AI boom. Ahead of a vote on a moratorium on new hyperscale datacentres in Holyrood on Wednesday, the Scottish government has tightened rules for new projects by requiring any above 50MW to submit environmental impact assessments, but stopped short of agreeing to an outright halt. Scotland has seen a boom in planning applications for large datacentres as global investment in AI infrastructure has exploded. Datacentres are critical for storing and processing data used by AI. One scheme in Auchtertool, Fife, has been billed as the second-largest in the world, and is among more than 20 large datacentres proposed so far.

Anthropic's plan to build a datacentre in Queensland was announced by premier David Crisafulli on Wednesday. Anthropic's plan to build a datacentre in Queensland was announced by premier David Crisafulli on Wednesday. Premier describes deal as'major win' that will deliver more jobs for the state and put more energy into its grid Anthropic, the AI giant behind the large language model Claude, has done a deal to lease the site of its first Australian datacentre in western Queensland . The state premier, David Crisafulli, announced the decision in parliament on Wednesday. The proposed Western Downs digital park is to be built by Singapore-based Zerra DC near Dalby, north-west of Toowoomba, and will connect to the Braemar power station.

Data centers spark a partisan divide as Democratic lawmakers push for tighter restrictions over water use and utility bills while Republican lawmakers cite the AI race.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Microsoft's PowerToys includes a Command Palette that lets you search Windows settings, install apps via Winget, and open the registry. The Microsoft PowerToys suite for Windows include the Command Palette, a tool that is often overlooked but actually offers a vast range of functions. For example, the program includes a search function that combines several other Windows search features into a single interface. The easiest way to install the PowerToys is via the Microsoft Store .

Increased production risks undermining moves to restrict Pfas in Europe, the UK and US, said ChemSec. Increased production risks undermining moves to restrict Pfas in Europe, the UK and US, said ChemSec. 'Tidal wave' of Pfas being launched to satisfy AI industry, campaigners warn Pfas companies are launching a "tidal wave" of forever chemicals production to meet demand from the AI industry, a campaign organisation has warned. Despite alarm over the chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, a survey of the 10 biggest manufacturers found most had plans to increase production. Many frame their investments around the "AI revolution", because of the role Pfas play in semiconductor production and next-generation datacentre cooling systems.

"Families shouldn't have to pay for the AI boom with their health." The Stargate Oracle AI data center in Abilene, Texas, a project with Open AI, will span roughly 4 million square feet. Completion is expected by year's end. Get your news from a source that's not owned and controlled by oligarchs. While tech oligarchs grandstand about the existential danger AI superintelligence poses to humanity, former Environmental Protection Agency officials say we should be worried about a more immediate threat to our health: the data centers that power those AI models. The former EPA researchers, now working with the nonprofit Environmental Protection Network, are warning in a new report that since January 2025, Donald Trump's EPA has embarked on a systematic weakening of pollution safeguards, permitting processes, inspection norms, and other guardrails--at least 30 different actions--that could increase the health risks associated with the data center boom.

A new proposal would pay rural Americans thousands of dollars in "data center dividends," sharing AI data center tax revenue directly with households.

Google said it will change its Search services in the EU in an effort to sidestep some of the 890 million ( 1 billion) in fines levied by the European Commission earlier this summer. The EU charged a fine of 460 million ( 534 million) on claims that Google had abused its dominance in search to prioritize the brand's other services when displaying query results. That sanction was the latest salvo between the EU government and a US tech company for infringing on its Digital Markets Act. The debate centers on the DMA requirement that major tech brands "must not treat their own services more favorably in ranking than third-party services." Google first laid out some of its planned changes to its services in response to the Digital Markets Act in March 2024.

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Why China Is the Bogeyman Data Center Enthusiasts Just Can't Quit Polls show that overwhelming majorities of Americans hate data centers. China makes a perfect scapegoat for tech leaders and their allies--the only problem is a lack of evidence. Welcome to the first edition of Power Play! From now until the midterms, senior writer Molly Taft will be sharing their thoughts every Sunday on this political season's hottest issue: data centers. We welcome reader comments, and will be answering questions from the comments section in future editions. Be sure to catch WIRED's first livestream on data centers this Thursday, September 10, featuring Molly, senior politics correspondent Hugo Lowell, and senior business writer Max Zeff!