According to computer manufacturer International Business Machines (IBM), artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy. 

             IBM also describes an AI data center as a facility that houses the specific IT infrastructure needed to train, deploy and deliver AI applications and services. It has advanced compute, network, storage architectures, and energy and cooling capabilities to handle AI workloads.

            According to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, data centers are resource-ravenous. Even a mid-sized data center consumes as much water as a small town, while larger ones require up to five million gallons of water every day.  That's as much as a city of 50,000 people.

            Powering and cooling their rows of server stacks also takes an astonishing amount of electricity. A conventional data center draws as much electricity as 10,000 to 25,000 households, according to the International Energy Agency. But a newer, AI-focused "hyperscale" data center can use as much power as 100,000 homes or more.

            If a municipality does not have proper zoning codes that could include AI data centers, it is proper and necessary for them to review and update their codes accordingly before they are faced with an application.  If not, the applicant may call a foul because the law wasn't in place when they applied.

            That's called due diligence.  After all, in Pennsylvania, if a municipality does not provide for all uses or for a reasonable share/mix of a specific use, a curative amendment can be filed.  The court will then decide if the cure may be accepted, revised, or rejected and you may be stuck with an AI data center at a location that is far from reasonable. 

            Many municipalities have formed regional planning commissions to pool their efforts to cover and/or share all permitted zoning requirements.  They need to ensure that they are communicating with elected officials and the residents to keep them up-to-date.  Nobody likes an unpleasant surprise.

            In late May, Governor Shapiro announced his Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) initiative which establishes strict standards that data centers must comply with to receive support from the commonwealth.

            The GRID Standards ensure large-scale infrastructure projects are developed responsibly by protecting Pennsylvania ratepayers, creating good-paying jobs, strengthening environmental safeguards, promoting transparency, and ensuring local communities have a voice in major infrastructure projects

            However, specific data center projects that were already well underway before the announcement of the GRID are exempt from these new rules.

            An old proverb says, "A place for everything and everything in its place."  That place may not be suitable here in our local communities.

            The local municipalities are working on it. 

            Let's hope they get the changes to their zoning, planning, and building ordinances done before the first AI data center application comes across their desk.