Data centre debate heats up ahead of US midterms - here's what you need to know
Until a few years ago many of us may have been blissfully unaware of what a data centre was.
These giant, warehouse-like buildings power virtually all our internet activity, from our web searches and emails to movie downloads and online banking.
They are at the heart of the AI boom, housing the advanced computer chips and servers needed to run services like ChatGPT and Claude.
But the speed at which they're growing, the enormous amount of electricity they consume and concerns about their environmental impact are fuelling a public backlash around the world.