The real cost of AI data centers

Is xAI in permit purgatory?

After months of backlash, xAI finally secured a permit to operate 15 of the methane gas turbines powering its Colossus supercomputer data center in Memphis.

xAI will soon be required to…

• Implement “best-in-class” emissions controls by September

• Limit active turbines to 15 at a time

• Impose strict reporting of all startup, shutdown, and malfunction events

Catch up quick: The turbines are located 1) near predominantly Black neighborhoods with some of the highest asthma and cancer rates in the country and 2) in areas that already fail to meet national smog standards.

Locals (who have staunchly opposed the data center’s turbine use for months) are already alleging xAI might be in breach of the permits. Thermal imaging shows 24 turbines on-site—meaning xAI’s new air permit doesn’t appear to cover all the gas turbines potentially operating at the facility.

And while we’re on data centers: CoreWeave just signed a $9 billion all-stock deal to acquire Core Scientific, gaining access to over a gigawatt of data center capacity (enough to power 850,000 homes). And Bloomberg reports that OpenAI is renting 4.5 gigawatts of capacity from Oracle, expanding both companies’ already massive Stargate deal.

Google faces EU antitrust complaint over AI Overviews

On Friday, a coalition of publishers in Europe filed a formal antitrust complaint against Google, taking aim at its AI-generated summaries in Search.

Publishers feel boxed in. The complaint accuses Google of scraping content to feed its AI Overviews—without consent, compensation, or the option to opt out. According to the Independent Publisher Alliance, this has led to steep drops in traffic, visibility, and revenue for publishers. 

Meta just poached Apple’s top AI models exec

Ruoming Pang, the engineer who led Apple’s foundation models team, has left for Meta with a compensation package reportedly worth tens of millions per year.

Pang is the latest in a wave of high-profile hires joining Meta’s new super-intelligence division, which already includes former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and ex-GitHub CEO Nat Friedman. 

What’s going on? Meta is bulking up its AI ranks to keep momentum—from massive comp deals to leadership on ambitious, high-visibility AI projects to outreach straight from Zuck himself. Apple’s internal AI efforts, though, have been held back by restructuring and product delays. Entire teams have been dissolved or relocated.

🤖 Turn AI into Your Income Engine! 🚀

Ready to transform artificial intelligence from a buzzword into your personal revenue generator? Our groundbreaking guide "200+ AI-Powered Income Ideas" is your gateway to financial innovation in the digital age.

Inside you'll discover:

• A curated collection of 200+ profitable opportunities spanning content creation, e-commerce, gaming, and emerging digital markets—each vetted for real-world potential

• Step-by-step implementation guides designed for beginners, making AI accessible regardless of your technical background

• Cutting-edge strategies aligned with current market trends, ensuring your ventures stay ahead of the curve

Access your guide now and join thousands of forward-thinkers already capitalizing on AI's potential.

Your second brain, actually automated

Littlebird is an AI-powered digital twin that quietly organizes your online life by observing your actions, messages, and tasks. It then creates summaries, insights, and reminders automatically.

How you can use it:

• Get daily journals from calls, notes, and events

• Surface relevant info during meetings without searching

• Ask questions about your own past activity

• Connect the dots without burning out

Pricing: Free (if you join the beta)

Build an app from just a prompt

Rocket lets you turn a simple idea or Figma design into a full production-ready app (frontend, backend, and all) using AI. No code is required.

How you can use it:

• Spin up a freelancer portfolio with pricing, client testimonials, and contact forms

• Launch a job board with advanced search, applicant tracking, and alerts

• Build a CRM with integrated pipelines, contact management, and reporting

• Track email campaign performance with real-time subscriber analytics

Pricing: Free & paid