Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set his sights on making the country a global artificial intelligence power, but that ambition is running into resistance from local communities where data centers are springing up at an unprecedented pace.
According to Kyodo News, the story of Indian engineer Tushar Shetty in Mumbai reflects a tension playing out worldwide: the AI boom is driving a wave of large-scale data center construction, while residents in nearby areas worry about the impact on their living environment.
AI data centers consume vast amounts of electricity and water to cool server systems. That poses a difficult balancing act between technology development goals and the basic needs of residents, particularly in crowded cities such as Mumbai.
The public opposition underscores the challenge facing the Indian government as it pursues a leading role in AI, at a time when energy infrastructure and water resources remain limited in many regions.
