Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, announced plans to invest $200 billion in new AI data centers to support rapid expansion of artificial intelligence systems. The move comes as polls show most Americans oppose such facilities due to noise, pollution, and heavy water consumption. Pichai has described AI as more transformative than electricity or fire and has acknowledged a high risk of existential threats from the technology, while expressing confidence that humanity can avoid catastrophe. The editorial cartoon frames this corporate push as aggressive and tone-deaf to local opposition and environmental limits.
data business
Aug
25
2026
Data centers are expanding rapidly and placing heavy demands on local water and power supplies. Municipalities must decide whether to raise taxes to cover the costs. The piece argues that residents bear the burden while data centers consume resources without contributing enough back.
Jun
24
2026
The cartoon by John Darkow depicts construction workers surveying expansive sites for new data centers, with one declaring plans to build from the current location to the horizon. In the adjacent panel, workers on a ladder atop a massive data center building announce plans to place another facility directly on top. The image responds to the ongoing surge in data center development fueled by artificial intelligence demands. As of mid-2026, tech companies continue rapid expansion of facilities that require significant land, electricity and water resources. Local governments face increasing pressure to manage zoning, infrastructure strain and environmental impacts from these projects.
May
26
2026
The cartoon by Jonathan Brown depicts Utah Gov. Cox declaring a state of emergency over extreme drought conditions. In a panel set a few weeks earlier, the governor is shown directing a fire hose of water into the Stratos Data Center while urging to crank it up to keep China from winning the tech race. The split-panel format highlights the contrast between the water-intensive data center project and the subsequent drought response. The image uses a desert backdrop with a swirling water vortex to emphasize resource strain. Publication occurred on May 26, 2026.
May
20
2026
The cartoon by Pat Bagley shows Kevin O'Leary's head floating above scenes in Utah where supporters of a data center project are labeled first as patriotic locals then as out-of-state agitators or Chinese agents. One panel shows a woman pointing to an Elevate Utah board while another depicts a gas-masked figure beside a dead animal under a call for clean air and water. The work responds to the proposed data center in Box Elder County and related debates over power, water and air quality impacts near the Great Salt Lake.
Mar
23
2026
A cartoon depicts a big tech leprechaun atop a pot labeled local revenue under a rainbow of data center hype. The figure tells a resident that the promised funds will be needed to cover higher power bills driven by data center electricity demand.
Feb
23
2026
The cartoon depicts North Carolina's traditional hog industry alongside a massive AI data center facility shaped like a hog and plugged directly into the power grid. It highlights how the rapid expansion of data centers for artificial intelligence is creating enormous electricity demands similar to the state's established agricultural sector. The visual draws a parallel between the environmental and infrastructure pressures from both industries.
