Gregory Founder and CEO Greg Matusky told CBS News this week that the industry has an education problem, not just a public relations problem. "The technology has outpaced our ability to explain what these data centers are and why they're important," he said.
Matusky's message: community concerns are legitimate, but many are based on assumptions about older data centers rather than what's being built today. He also tied the buildout to a bigger stake: "We're in a bit of a space race right now with China to develop AI and to become the world leader in that."
Four points from the interview:
National competitiveness. America's current edge in the AI race is compute, the chips and data centers themselves. China has strong AI models but can't access the Nvidia chips most AI development depends on.
Water use. New closed loop cooling systems recirculate water much like a car radiator, cutting the water demand tied to older facilities.
Electricity costs. Rules already covering roughly 250 million Americans require data centers to supply their own power, so local communities do not absorb the added cost.
Jobs and revenue. Construction brings back electricians, pipefitters and welders, work traditionally done in America before being outsourced decades ago, and can generate significant local tax revenue, in some cases up to $20 million for a community's schools. Done right, these projects can help reindustrialize local economies and ease the affordability gap.
Matusky's takeaway: Address concerns with facts and transparency, and make the case for why the buildout matters for the country's competitive position. As he told CBS News, "I think if we work together on those kinds of things, we could find a happy middle ground."
Watch Greg Matusky's full CBS News interview: