Name a Number

Part of Big Tech's War on Users Back in January, Brad Smith stood up in Washington and launched Microsoft's Community-First AI Infrastructure initiative. Five commitments. Pay their way on electricity. Replenish the water. Create local jobs. Add to the tax base for hospitals, schools, parks, and libraries. Invest in local AI training and nonprofits. Microsoft was going to be a "good neighbor," and it was going to "set a high bar." Nine months later, per Ars Technica, a group of churches in northern Indiana asked Microsoft how high that bar actually is. Microsoft hasn't answered. The Neighborhood The site is in Granger, in St. Joseph County, just outside South Bend. It's a $1 billion, 900-acre data center, with construction starting this fall and operation targeted for 2029. Indiana rolled out the red carpet for this kind of thing years ago. Qualifying data centers can buy their equipment without paying the state's 7% sales tax, and projects over $750 million can lock that exemption in…

Commenting on Bubbles has been removed. Why? If you want to talk about this post, write to the author, use the comments on their blog if it has them, or reply with a "RE:" post on your own blog. Suggestions? feedback@bubbles.town