Can the South handle the strain of the data center boom?

Atlanta's data center market is experiencing unprecedented growth, quickly emerging as a leading hub for server farms in the U.S. Driven by soaring demand for data storage and processing power—largely fueled by the rise of AI technologies—the city is becoming a magnet for major tech giants. Yet, this rapid expansion comes with significant challenges. These sprawling facilities, essential for powering everything from cloud services to AI applications, consume vast amounts of energy and water. As the demand for data centers continues to climb, so too do concerns about their impact on vital resources. Credits: Getty Images | Jasper Chatbox | Tesla | Pexels | Microsoft | Google | ChatGPT | Dice | Georgia Power | WSJ | The Times | Politico | Reuters | Edged | Switch | Goldman Sachs | University of Tulsa | Washington Post | CBRE