NY Bill Would Curb Soaring Energy Use of AI Data Centers

New York would become the first state to force data centers to completely eliminate their fossil fuel use and publicly disclose how they handle pollution and water consumption under a bill lawmakers want to move next year.

Companies like Microsoft Corp., Google, Amazon.com Inc, and Meta Platforms Inc. will need additional electricity to power advancements in artificial intelligence, setting up a clash with environmentalists over the effects of using fossil fuels for their growth.

Legislatures from Washington to Virginia are also facing the challenge of how to facilitate data center expansions without endangering the reliability of their ...