Data centers that power the internet and support critical digital services are at the center of major debates around the country — including in Columbia County, Georgia, a suburb of Augusta.
Why it's important: Global data center demand is surging — with capacity expected to double by 2030 — as cloud services, health care technology, digital banking and AI drive rapid growth.
Communities like Columbia County are now weighing how to grow their local economies through digital infrastructure while protecting local priorities and quality of life.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is scheduled to walk into the West Wing on Friday for a meeting with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — a breakthrough in his effort to resolve the company's bitter AI fight with the Pentagon.
Why it matters: The Trump administration recognizes the power of Anthropic's new Claude model, Mythos, and its highly sophisticated — and potentially dangerous — ability to breach cybersecurity defenses.
Data center construction is booming nationwide, but the AI buildout is separating the friendliest states from the most resistant, with Texas and Maine on opposite ends.
Why it matters: Americans are bracing for what trillions of dollars in AI infrastructure investment will mean for them.
