Chapel Hill, September 3: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has highlighted the misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. He warned that communities opposing the establishment of these centers risk losing significant economic opportunities, including investments, jobs, and tax revenues.
During a press conference following the G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Lutnick supported the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. His comments came in response to a journalist’s report that Orange County has imposed a one-year moratorium on large data center constructions.
“I believe you’ve raised an important issue. The real problem is misinformation. If you impose a ban on data centers, the next big opportunity will not come your way,” Lutnick stated. He noted that many other regions in the U.S. are ready to welcome such projects and will reap the associated economic benefits.
“If you embrace these projects, you will succeed. If you do not, those opportunities will go elsewhere,” he added. According to Lutnick, advanced AI models operating in data centers will bring knowledge, innovation, and new economic opportunities to local communities.
“These advanced AI models have the potential to disseminate knowledge across every economy, community, and region worldwide,” he emphasized. Lutnick also dismissed claims that data centers would lead to higher electricity costs or excessive pressure on local resources. He argued that the negative perception of data centers is unfounded and is being propagated by competitors seeking to slow down progress. Lutnick asserted that companies building data centers will manage their energy needs independently and contribute positively to the local economy.
He urged data center companies to engage more with local residents and address their concerns, assuring them that electricity prices would not rise. Lutnick believes that regions currently opposing these projects may regret their decisions in the coming years when they observe neighboring areas benefiting from investments and economic gains.
“In one, two, or five years, when we look back, those who said not to build data centers here will realize they missed a significant economic opportunity,” he concluded.
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