Biden opens federal land for AI data centers, sets rules for developers

President Joe Biden issued an executive order Thursday aimed at speeding domestic construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure and shoring up the national security risk involved in the technology.

The move empowers the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy to lease federal sites for gigawatt-scale AI data centers.

“AI is poised to have large effects across our economy, including in health care, transportation, education, and beyond, and it is too important to be offshored,” the White House said in a release.

The order also issued guidelines for AI developers using the sites to not only build, operate and maintain the leased centers at full cost, but also to deliver clean energy resources to match their capacity needs to prevent increases in electricity costs.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/14/biden-opens-federal-land-for-ai-data-centers-sets-developer-rules.html