Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI is reportedly seeking to buy hundreds of homes in Southaven, Mississippi, as residents complain about persistent noise from nearby data centre infrastructure.
According to The Guardian, real estate agents hired by xAI have been approaching residents with offers to purchase their properties. The proposed sales reportedly come with agreements requiring homeowners to waive their right to sue over noise associated with the company’s data centres.
One agent told the newspaper that the goal was to acquire 418 homes. Recordings obtained by The Guardian indicated that 18 homeowners had already agreed to sell.
The development follows the construction of three large data centres across Southaven and neighbouring Memphis, Tennessee, over the past two years. Residents have complained about noise from the facilities and gas turbines used to generate electricity, with some also raising environmental concerns.
The dispute reflects growing tensions between data centre operators and communities hosting infrastructure built to support artificial intelligence. Such facilities require substantial computing power, increasing demand for electricity generation, cooling systems and supporting infrastructure.
The reported property purchases could allow residents who accept the offers to relocate while reducing the company’s exposure to future legal disputes. However, the reported agreements also raise questions about how communities negotiate with technology companies operating large industrial facilities nearby.
Musk has reportedly been staying in an Airstream trailer in the Memphis area while overseeing data centre construction, underlining the importance of the region to xAI’s infrastructure expansion.
The controversy comes as opposition to data centre development grows across the United States, with residents raising concerns about noise, pollution, electricity demand and the impact on local neighbourhoods.
Source: The Guardian
