GoKawiil
Tech News
Nvidia reported second-quarter revenue of $96bn, over twice what it earned a year earlier, driven largely by its data centre business which brought in $89bn, up 117% year-on-year. The company forecasts $108bn in revenue next quarter, and shares rose about 4% in after-hours trading following results that beat Wall Street estimates.
An opinion piece suggests communities resisting new data center construction could be won over by receiving actual financial stakes in the projects, modeled after the Consumer Stock Ownership Plan structure. Instead of only offering tax breaks or jobs, developers would share ownership benefits directly with residents near the facilities.
Nvidia reported record quarterly revenue of $96.2 billion, up more than $10 billion from the prior quarter, driven by data center revenue that more than doubled year-over-year to $89 billion. Profits also more than doubled to $59.7 billion, and the company projects revenue will climb to $108 billion in the coming quarter.
More than 15 candidates for state and federal office, including Nebraska Senate independent Dan Osborn, have signed the AI Pact, a five-point pledge covering mandatory AI safety reviews, worker dividends from AI profits, and legal accountability for AI-caused harms. The pact grew out of the Political Integrity Project, an anti-money-in-politics group, and is funded by a progressive PAC rather than tech companies or AI safety organizations. Nearly all current signers are Democrats, though organizers say they hope to attract Republican candidates too.
Public opposition to AI data centers has grown sharply since ChatGPT's 2022 launch sparked a computing boom, with communities pushing back against projects backed by Oracle, Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft, who plan to invest over $700 billion in U.S. data centers this year. The backlash has become significant enough to shape 2026 midterm election dynamics and prompted President Trump to publicly defend the industry.
New tracking data shows gas-fired power capacity under development in the United States has surged past China's, reaching roughly three times the amount, driven largely by data center demand. The volume of U.S. gas power projects tied to data centers nearly doubled in just the first half of 2026.
An industry commentary argues that data center providers can no longer treat energy access as a late-stage formality. With surplus grid capacity disappearing, the piece calls for providers to engage utilities earlier and plan for long-term power partnerships rather than opportunistic siting.
The EPA is drafting a rule change that would eliminate the requirement for states to collect public feedback before issuing air pollution permits for so-called 'minor source' facilities, a category that includes data centers, landfills, laundromats, and steel mills. The move comes as communities increasingly use public hearings to challenge AI data center construction over air quality and health concerns. Attorneys general from 14 states and three cities have signed a letter opposing the change, arguing that minor sources can still cause serious health and environmental harm.
Chris Malone, who led OpenAI's data center strategy after joining from Meta and Google in March 2024, has left the company. OpenAI confirmed it recently restructured its infrastructure organization, shifting oversight so that Malone no longer reported to President Greg Brockman but instead to VP Sachin Katti before his exit. The company says several other executives, including Uday Ruddarraju, Brent Mayo and Spas Lazarov, remain in charge of its data center efforts.
The EPA has proposed amending the 1970 Clean Air Act to remove the 30-day public comment window required before construction begins on facilities classified as 'minor sources' of industrial pollution. The change would allow projects, including many AI data centers, to move forward with less advance public scrutiny.
Governor Josh Shapiro has pursued a strategy aimed at attracting artificial intelligence investment and jobs to Pennsylvania while simultaneously working to shield electricity ratepayers and nearby communities from the costs and disruptions data centers can bring. The approach seeks to balance economic development ambitions with consumer protection and local concerns as AI infrastructure expands rapidly across the country.
Chris Malone, who led OpenAI's data center buildout since March 2025, has left the company, according to CNBC. Malone previously worked as a distinguished engineer on infrastructure at Meta and Google before joining OpenAI to help manage its roughly $600 billion compute spending plan through 2030. OpenAI says it has reorganized its infrastructure team and maintains strong leadership despite the exit.