WASHINGTON – The AI Infrastructure Coalition (AIIC) today announced five Community Principles that will guide data center development across the country. The companies agreeing to these principles spans every layer of the AI tech stack, from the investors financing the buildout to the utilities and power producers keeping the grid reliable to the companies running the models.
“American AI development is delivering real benefits for families: healthcare breakthroughs, reduced traffic congestion, and good jobs opening up in towns that need them,” said AIIC Co-Chairs Kyrsten Sinema and Garret Graves. “When every layer of this industry commits to the same rules and works together with local communities, that sets a gold standard for building not only data centers, but trust with the communities that host them. This ensures families keep seeing the benefits of AI for generations to come.”
AIIC commissioned a poll conducted by Republican pollster David Lee and leading Democratic pollster John Anzalone on the five community principles. They found that each principle “makes both adults and registered voters at least a net 20-points more likely to support the construction of data centers in the United States.”
The five Community Principles include:
1. Protect ratepayers: cover our full energy costs
Our data centers will bear the full cost of the energy we use, so their costs are not passed on to other customers. We will build, bring, or pay the full cost of new generation and transmission to our facilities. We will also work with our utility partners to develop large load rate structures that ensure all large loads, including data centers, pay the costs they cause. We will coordinate with grid operators to contribute to a more reliable grid, helping keep the lights on for everyone.
2. Benefit the community
Our data centers will give back to the communities that host us, so they can fund local priorities such as schools, roads, hospitals, and first responders. Our infrastructure can grow economic opportunity in a community and improve local finances.
3. Minimize water usage and act as responsible environmental stewards
Our data centers will be responsible stewards of the environment by minimizing water use and protecting local water supplies by using advanced, efficient cooling technologies, investing in local water and wastewater infrastructure, and pursuing water replenishment projects where regionally feasible, recognizing that water availability differs by community. We will prioritize environmentally responsible construction practices, support funding for and/or build new greenspaces, and protect communities from noise pollution.
4. Hire local and invest in American workers
Our data centers will prioritize hiring residents from the communities where we invest and support local technical-education and workforce-training programs that prepare people for careers in technology and the skilled trades.
5. Earn the buy-in of each community they call home
Our data centers will work to earn the support of the communities in which they locate, engaging local leaders and residents early, listening, and with transparency. Our infrastructure projects will be respectful of community concerns and quality of life.