How Governments in the U.S. and Europe Are Stalling the AI Buildout

WSJ What’s News

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, News

4.1 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 19 July 2026

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tech companies are spending hundreds of billions on infrastructure to power AI, but they’ve run into a major roadblock: government regulation. From the U.S. to Europe, a growing backlash over zoning, land, and energy use is putting the brakes on data centers. WSJ reporters Will Parker and Yusuf Khan join host Alex Ossola to discuss how governments in the U.S. and Europe are stalling the AI buildout. Further Reading These Cities and States Are Taking Aim at Data Centers Can a Prettier Data Center Curb the Community Backlash? These Rural Americans Are Trying to Hold Back the Tide of AI Bring Your Own Power, Ireland Tells Tech Titans Hungry for Data Centers The American Rebellion Against AI Is Gaining Steam We Tracked the Growing Pushback Against Data Centers A Data Center Revolt in Missouri

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Access to affordable credit helps me pay my employees, but I don't really need it.
0:05.0	Infliction is killing me!
0:08.0	But who cares? Big retailers are making record profits!
0:12.0	That's why we support the Durban Marshall Credit Card Bill!
0:15.0	See? Banks and credit unions help small businesses make payroll.
0:18.0	This bill would cut the vital resources they need.
0:25.1	While increasing megastore profits, they deserve it. Don't they?
0:29.1	Tell Congress, stop the Durban Marshall money grab for corporate megastores.
0:31.2	Paid for it by the Electronic Payments Coalition.
0:38.0	Hey, What's News listeners. It's Sunday, July 19th. I'm Alex Osloaf for the Wall Street Journal. This is What's News listeners. It's Sunday, July 19th.
0:40.2	I'm Alex O'Sullough for the Wall Street Journal.
0:45.3	This is What's News Sunday, the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories in the news.
0:50.8	On the show of this week, data centers are being built all over the world to power the artificial intelligence boom.
0:55.0	We're looking at efforts across the U.S. and elsewhere to slow their build-out.
1:05.4	As AI becomes more embedded in people's lives, there's a growing need for data centers to power it.
1:12.9	According to recent Pew Research, there are more than 3,000 operating data centers in the U.S. and another 1,500 in the works.
1:16.1	The AI giants are paying a lot to make those happen.
1:27.2	Analysts estimate that the capital spending by just five of the hypers, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle, to be $741 billion this year alone.
1:32.2	But the communities where these data centers are being built or proposed have been less enthusiastic.
1:36.4	Anybody that's against us, please stand up for the next minute.
1:42.0	Project Blue will be net water positive.
1:43.6	It sets a new standard. People are
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 20 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Wall Street Journal, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Wall Street Journal and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.