Kevin Thompson

Oakland University's board has advanced a proposed campus data center project to the due diligence phase, with environmental and health concerns raised by students and former students. The project, led by Fairmount Properties, would be built without added university costs and includes an environmental study near Lot 37. Students have mixed reactions, citing potential benefits and environmental impacts, while the university states the site is farther from a Native American heritage site than a previous location, with construction potentially 18-24 months away.

Arizona is becoming a test case for AI-driven data center growth amid challenges with energy demand and water scarcity. Regulators and tech companies are addressing infrastructure costs, tax incentives, and cooling technologies to balance development with resource constraints.