Living next to Mark Zuckerberg's meta data centre, the shocking reality is quite disturbing

Time of India

3 days ago

Who doesn't want their country to prosper? Absolutely no one. Yet, behind those gleaming technological advances, the birth of artificial intelligence, made for our leverage, has yet again proven to be a liability.
Powering everything from social media to search engines lies a sprawling infrastructure of data centers, which are responsible for operating AI applications such as the very famous ChatGPT, Grok, Google Gemini, and others. Energy-hungry supercomputers that are embedded with a large number of data sets are quietly reshaping American neighborhoods, their ecosystems, and utility bills.
A recent YouTube video shared by 'More Perfect Union,' titled 'I Live 400 Yards From
Mark Zuckerberg
's Massive Data Center', sheds light on the growing concerns and living conditions of residents of Gallatin, Tennessee, home to Meta's largest and growing data centers.
This video further highlights the broader implications that people are victims of, the cost humans pay for the budding AI centers, and their hunger for more power.
How does it do justice to people struggling for the bare minimum, such as water, every day?
Everybody wants to lead a healthy, stress-free life. But that sure did seem impossible for Beverly and Jeff Morris, living in Mansfield, Georgia. Longtime residents who now live within 400 yards of Meta's 2 million square foot data center which started building back in 2018.
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Undo
Once a serene country home, now their property has become a battlefield for tech giants and their empire expansion.
'They destroyed the environment. Took down all the trees across the road,' says Beverly.
Picture yourself living in a place where you turn on the tap and there is little to no water. Whatever water comes is limited, and that too is contaminated with sediment, presumably linked to the nearby construction that is going on.
The problem?
Appliances have failed, water is cold, and their electricity bills, which once costed around $250 (Rs. 21,242), have doubled up to $400 monthly (Rs. 33,000 approx.)
AI's insatiable appetite
The rise of AI, including tools such as ChatGPT and Meta's Grok, is accelerating the demand for data processing power. Unlike the traditional method of cloud computing. AI models require exponentially more electricity to train and operate.
Did you know?
Back in January 2023, an MIT Technology Review article referenced work done by Alex De Vries, a researcher from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and founder of Digiconomist, a platform analyzing the environmental impact of digital trends, stated that
If a search is being conducted using ChatGPT, it takes 29.9 watt-hours, and a standard Google search takes about 0.003 watt-hours, so the AI-powered query could roughly use 1,000 times more energy.
This makes the picture pretty clear; while the exact number might vary, the 30 times more energy figure is a conservative average used to highlight the increasing energy demands of AI search compared to how traditional searches were done.
How are the nearby communities being affected?
The data centers, which should invite footfall and introduce revenues and funding for educational centers, have expenses for surrounding communities that are harsh and not at all reasonable.
In Fayette County, roughly 50 miles from Georgia's state capital, it's the same story as in Mansfield. Jean and Joe Marschall reside next to an enormous QTS data center that is being built. Rezoning ordinances were issued by the residents without their approval, subjecting them to the constant noise, light pollution, and dust.
"They do nightly pours over here… The lights are shining… 2:00, 3:00 in the morning," Joe Marschall says.
Economic agencies and development authorities claim the land has produced more in tax revenues. In 2024, QTS's raw land property produced $1.13 million in taxes—compared to only $36,000 in 2021. But to residents, the price tag isn't merely monetary; it's personal, environmental, and psychological.
Are the big tech companies silent? Or is it a pattern?
Silence speaks volumes. Especially when it comes to environmental and economic implications. Despite multiple and rigorous requests, neither Meta nor QTS agreed to be interviewed or offer facility tours for the report.
As per the residents, there needs to be legislation to protect them (residents). Because by all accounts, data center growth is going to be very fast. Well, on the brighter side, all we see is the revolution, the big transformation, and the ease of working. But some people are paying for what they did not ask for. For us, residents like the Morrises and Marschalls are now struggling with noise, water supply, and surging bills.
Is this the new era? Where progress is measured in watts and communities are left in the dark shadows of supercomputers and underground cables, which they did not ask for?