
Elon Musk’s AI Firm xAI Faces Legal Action for Air Pollution Violations
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence firm, xAI, is facing legal action over allegations of violating the Clean Air Act by running dozens of gas-powered turbines without proper permits. The case is being filed on behalf of the NAACP, a leading civil rights organization in the United States.
According to reports, xAI installed and operated at least 35 combustion turbines at its facility, known as Colossus, to power its AI systems while waiting for a full grid connection. These turbines have been running without the required construction or operating air permits, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC).
The SELC claims that xAI failed to use technologies that could have reduced the amount of pollution released into the air, further exacerbating the issue. The group reached out to local health officials multiple times, urging them to take action, but has seen no results.
As a result, SELC is now turning to legal means to enforce the law and protect the community. xAI and the NAACP have not responded to media requests for comment.
The controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s companies has been well-documented in recent years. However, this latest development highlights the need for increased scrutiny of these large-scale data centers and their impact on local communities.
It is reported that demand for data centers continues to rise rapidly, driven by the growth of AI and cloud computing. The U.S. Department of Energy has forecasted a potential doubling or tripling of energy consumption from data centers by 2028.
In light of this escalating issue, companies like xAI will be forced to rethink their approach to powering these massive facilities.
Source: coinpedia.org