Bernie Sanders and AOC Push for Nationwide Data Center Moratorium

The rapid expansion of data centers powering artificial intelligence has sparked nationwide resistance, with concerns ranging from job displacement and privacy to massive electricity and water consumption. New York has already enacted a moratorium on new data centers, and fourteen other states are considering similar restrictions. Now, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have introduced federal legislation calling for a nationwide moratorium on data center construction to allow for further research and public input. In an interview with David Remnick on The New Yorker Radio Hour, Sanders emphasized that opposition to data centers transcends political divisions, uniting conservatives, progressives, and moderates. He quoted opponents asking, "What the hell are we doing?" and questioning whether these centers will contribute to job loss, privacy erosion, and the enrichment of the wealthiest corporations. The episode also references related New Yorker pieces, including Jill Lepore's "When Bernie Sanders Headed for the Hills" and Emily Witt's "Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fight the Oligarchy," as well as a previous interview with Geoffrey Hinton on AI. The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC and The New Yorker, releases new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.