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.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-26
X has issued legal takedown notices to the open-source Nitter project and its offshoot XCancel, accusing them of data scraping and rules violations. Both services, which let users read X posts without an account, JavaScript or tracking, have gone offline, with Nitter's maintainer citing legal advice and XCancel posting a notice about the cease-and-desist letter. Nitter's GitHub repository is now archived and read-only.
theregister.com
· 2026-08-26
Companies building agentic AI systems have traditionally sent their internal data—tickets, customer records, contacts, and workflows—into third-party frontier models hosted elsewhere, relying on contracts for protection. A shift is emerging where successful enterprise AI deployments instead keep data within their own infrastructure and bring AI models to that data rather than exporting sensitive information externally.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-26
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.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-26
AI-driven search tools such as Google's AI Overviews and conversational assistants like ChatGPT are increasingly pulling data from customer reviews to decide which businesses to recommend. This means the volume, recency and quality of a business's reviews are being read and weighted by algorithms, not just prospective customers. A thin or neglected review profile can make a business effectively invisible to these AI systems.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-08-26
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.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-08-26
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.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-08-26
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.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-08-25
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.
wsj.com
· 2026-08-25
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.
cnbc.com
· 2026-08-25
Chris Malone, who led OpenAI's data center operations, has exited the company. His departure adds to a growing list of senior executives leaving OpenAI as it accelerates infrastructure spending and moves toward a possible IPO.
wsj.com
· 2026-08-25
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art disclosed that hackers accessed its network for four days before detection on July 11, 2025, compromising sensitive data belonging to customers and employees. Exposed information includes Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, partial financial and payment card details, and health-related records such as diagnoses and treatment history. The museum only completed its investigation and began notifying affected individuals in late February 2026, more than a year after the intrusion was found.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-08-25