Key facts
- George Osborne, OpenAI's head of AI for countries, criticized opposition to datacenters in the UK.
- Osborne described the opposition as 'nimbyism' and a hindrance to building necessary infrastructure.
- He warned that the UK risks losing technological sovereignty to the US if it doesn't build datacenters.
- Protests against datacenters have cited environmental concerns and lack of local benefits.
- The UK government has classified AI datacenters as critical national infrastructure.
- The Green party in England has called for a moratorium on building datacenters.
George Osborne, now leading OpenAI's government relations and infrastructure development efforts, has criticized opposition to building datacenters in the UK, characterizing it as 'nimbyism' that is holding the country back. Speaking at the Big Brue festival in Somerset, Osborne argued that such resistance hinders essential infrastructure development for AI advancement.
Osborne, who previously served as Britain's chancellor, warned that the UK could lose its technological sovereignty to the United States if it fails to permit the construction of datacenters. He noted that these facilities are being built in US states like Ohio, Georgia, and Michigan, and that a failure to build them domestically represents a loss of control over the physical location of critical technology infrastructure.
Nationwide protests have targeted datacenters across the UK, with concerns raised about their impact on landscapes, water and energy consumption, and the potential displacement of affordable housing. Protesters also question the local job creation benefits. In response, the UK government has designated AI datacenters as critical national infrastructure to expedite their development, though the Green party in England has advocated for a moratorium on their construction.
Verity Harding, from the University of Cambridge's Bennett Institute for Public Policy, suggested that public opposition to datacenters may stem from broader anxieties about the rapid advancement of AI and a feeling of a lack of control or consideration for the technology's impact. She noted that the public's frustration might be directed at datacenters as a tangible point of protest against the broader tech industry's messaging.
Osborne also commented on the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting, where leaders from OpenAI and Anthropic will engage with world leaders on AI regulation. He expressed reassurance that corporate leaders are discussing AI governance with heads of state, viewing it as a positive step toward regulating new technologies.