The Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Pollution, Profit, and Black Neighborhoods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQoNq-zE3rM

When billionaires like Elon Musk put massive AI and data centers in places like South Memphis, it’s like parking a roaring factory in the middle of a neighborhood already choking on pollution.

These projects often burn fossil fuels, spewing out gases that make asthma worse, shorten lives, and poison the air. And when those neighborhoods are mostly Black and working-class—places that have already carried the weight of environmental injustice for decades—it’s like adding bricks to a load that’s already crushing people.

In South Memphis, Musk’s xAI facility has been running 35 methane gas turbines without the required air pollution permits, pumping out around 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides a year. That’s the same kind of pollution that can cause smog and trigger serious health issues—especially in children and elders.

And here’s the thing—these neighborhoods don’t see the same benefits as wealthier communities. They’re not the ones making millions from AI. They’re the ones paying with their lungs, water, and peace of mind. It’s the same old story: the profits get shipped out, and the problems stay behind.