Data Centers and AI are Sweeping Across Georgia…Where’s the Legislature?

The Hidden Environmental Cost of AI in Georgia

AI is characterized as a revolutionary technological advancement, when in reality, it sets us back a ton. Amongst the various setbacks of AI, the most daunting is the environmental effect. Artificial Intelligence draws on enormous amounts of water and is projected to consume 6.6 billion cubic meters by 2027. There are already 2.7 billion people who face water scarcity, and AI is increasing that number. But why does this matter for Georgia residents?

Meta built a $750 million data center in Newton County that is in the backyard of a couple’s home. It has affected their livelihood for five years now. The water pressure in their homes dropped, and they found sediment buildup in the water. This caused their water appliances to be useless. According to The Washington Post, a data center consumes 500,000 gallons of water a day. At this rate, Newton County is on track to face water scarcity as soon as 2030. We urge you to contribute to resolving this problem by limiting your AI use, time is ticking and critical issue that needs to be addressed for the survival of the human race.

Tax Breaks, Climate Stakes: Georgia’s Risky Data Center Gamble

Georgia has often been the starting point for many inventions. We’ve contributed groundbreaking research regarding HIV treatments and were the birthplace of Coca-Cola. Now the Peach State is becoming a hotbed for data centers, which is hurting our environment and local communities while large corporations reap the benefits. 

Georgia exempts sales and uses our taxes on purchasing high-technology data center equipment and construction materials used for these facilities. This means the upfront and ongoing costs associated with equipment and infrastructure are reduced, enticing large tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to expand their operations to Georgia. And while many argue that such centers are “revolutionizing” the digital world, they fail to acknowledge the damage to our environment by contributing to climate change, the costs to the state in lost tax revenue, as well as next to no added jobs.

State reports show that data center incentives have waived at least $163 million in local state and sales tax collections each year since 2022. The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget estimates those incentives will surpass $327 million next year. Last year, Georgia state senate finance committee chairman Chuck Hufstetler– a Republican– spearheaded efforts to scrutinize tax breaks, resulting in the state legislature passing a bill halting tax breaks to data centers for two years. But Governor Brian Kemp vetoed it, saying that it would harm investment plans (Chow, 2025). The detrimental effects of building, funding, and benefitting from data centers severely outweigh the benefits only a few can capitalize on.

Georgia Can Lead Where Congress Failed

As we’ve already seen, unchecked AI is draining Georgia’s water and operating without basic transparency or oversight. And with Congress recently failing to pass even modest AI guardrails, it’s now up to states like Georgia to draw the line.

One of the biggest gaps? Consent and creative rights. Georgia’s creative economy—anchored by musicians, writers, designers, filmmakers, and digital artists—powers billions in economic activity. Yet AI companies are scraping their work, replicating their voices and styles, and re-monetizing it without permission or payment. If Georgia protects seed patents and small business trademarks, it should also protect an artist’s voice, likeness, and digital footprint.

At minimum, we need a right to opt out, and more importantly, a requirement to opt in—because no one should be forced to contribute their life’s work to someone else’s machine.

And this isn’t just a cultural issue—it’s an environmental one too. Generative AI models require vast amounts of energy and water. With Newton County already feeling the effects of unregulated tech expansion, we can’t afford more extractive industries operating in the shadows. If we regulate crypto mines and data centers, AI developers should be next.

Georgia now has a choice: follow the federal government’s failure, or lead on AI with bold, people-first legislation. That means setting clear rules around:

• Consent and creative rights
  

• Environmental standards for AI infrastructure
  

• Transparency and public reporting for high-impact AI tools

This isn’t about halting innovation—it’s about making sure AI serves the people of Georgia, not the other way around. If we act now, we can build a future where progress doesn’t come at the expense of our artists, our water, or our rights.