The rapid global expansion of data centers used to power artificial intelligence is creating “data heat islands” that significantly warm the surrounding environment, according to new research.
The study, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, suggests that these vast AI data centers can increase local land surface temperatures by an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2C), with some extreme cases recording rises of up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit (9.1C).
