On This Week's Econ 101...

Data centers are becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in America, fueled by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and our increasingly digital lives. Communities across the country are competing to attract these facilities with promises of economic growth, new investment, and job creation.

But are the benefits matching the promises?

In this episode, Kevin Thompson breaks down what data centers are, why they are being built at such an unprecedented pace, and how they impact the communities where they operate. From electricity demand and water consumption to tax incentives and job creation, we explore the economic tradeoffs that local residents and policymakers are increasingly being forced to confront.

Topics Covered:

• What data centers actually do an ...