The New Yorker Radio HourErin Brockovich Takes on Data CentersSave this storySave this storySave this storySave this storyListen and subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Wherever You ListenSign up for our daily newsletter to get the best of The New Yorker in your inbox.Since a famous case against a California utility, the name Erin Brockovich has become synonymous with a fighter taking on big polluters. Earlier this year, Brockovich began receiving e-mails from people worried about the construction of A.I. data centers, which is happening at a frenetic rate all over the country. People expressed concerns about the loss of farmland and natural areas; disruptions to the water table; deleterious noise; and substantial usage of electricity and water, leading to rising utility bills. She speaks with David Remnick about her mapping project to document data-center construction and environmental complaints. “In my thirty years,” she tells Remnick, “I’ve never really seen the people show up like they are at a very local level.”Further reading:“A.I. Is Now a Major Election Issue,” by Benjamin Wallace-Wells“Inside the Data Centers That Train A.I. and Drain the Electrical Grid,” by Stephen WittNew episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Follow the show wherever you get your podcasts.The New Yorker Radio Hour is a co-production of WNYC and The New Yorker.