Arizona lawmaker criticizes ‘short-sighted’ attacks on data centers in defense of innovation: ‘Make America Visionary Again’
Arizona state Rep. Justin Wilmeth defended data centers, arguing they are crucial for innovation and national security. He criticized opposition fueled by foreign funding and emphasized the economic benefits of data centers in the state. Wilmeth's comments come amid a controversial proposal to build a large data center complex that faced public backlash.
- ▪Wilmeth argued that data centers help the U.S. maintain an edge in the global AI race.
- ▪He claimed that activist groups opposing data centers received significant foreign funding for their campaigns.
- ▪The Pinal County Board of Supervisors recently voted to continue discussions on a major data center proposal amid public opposition.
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Republican Arizona state Rep. Justin Wilmeth spoke in defense of data centers, arguing that attacks against them belie evidence that they serve the public’s best interest, amid growing debate about development in the state. As chairman of the Arizona House of Representatives Committee on Artificial Intelligence & Innovation, Wilmeth said that data centers would help “Make America Visionary Again” by giving the United States an edge in the global AI race. He expressed concern that foreign funding is propelling opposition to technological advancement. His position, as outlined in an op-ed for the Arizona Republic, comes after a developer recently retracted plans to build the biggest data center complex in the state, upon facing backlash from Rural Arizona Engagement and other residents.
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