Thousands turn out in Edinburgh to protest against AI data centres

A crowd of people in winter clothing marching as part of a protest - many are holding signs and placards opposing AI data centres

Thousands of people have joined a protest in Edinburgh against the building of large-scale AI data centres.

Demonstrators with placards - and some dressed in costume - assembled at the top of the Royal Mile before marching towards the Scottish Parliament.

The event is part of a wave of protests across Europe, with over 70 demonstrations taking place in 15 countries this month.

Innovation Minister Alyn Smith recently said AI could deliver "significant community benefit" but the demonstration comes at a time of widespread debate about the environmental impact of data centres.

Two young women wearing bird costumes, holding a sign in the shape of an owl which reads "hands off our habitat"
A woman wearing a white puffer jacket in the middle of a protest - she is shouting and holding a sign that says "say no to Larbert AI data centre"

Smith said data centres were "the whisky bonds of the AI sector".

But protesters made it clear they disagree - carrying slogans such as "AI data centres threaten humanity" and "AI data centres: costing the Earth".

Some attended to voice their opposition to plans for data centres in particular communities - including Cockenzie, East Lothian, and Larbert, Falkirk.

BBC Scotland has previously heard from people living near proposed data centre sites who worry about the appearance of developments, potential noise and the area of land required to build them.

A group of protesters in winter clothing marching down the Royal Mile - two people at the front carry a large banner which reads "Cockenzie says no"
Protesters holding signs - one reads "we can't drink data" while another reads "hands off our water"

AI is seen by some as the most transformative technology ever made but others have warned there is chance that if the frightening pace of development continues it "could kill all humans" within the next decade.

Meanwhile, Scotland's data centre debate centres around the scale and impact of the sites themselves.

At the moment, the biggest data centre in Scotland is thought to be DataVita's site in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, which has a capacity for 12MW.

But if one planned for Chapelcross, Dumfries and Galloway, goes ahead it will have a capacity of 1,000MW - making it one of the largest data centres in the world.

The Scottish Greens and campaign groups have called for a moratorium on large data centres, arguing they could undermine climate targets and place additional pressure on renewable energy supplies.

The innovation minister told BBC Scotland some of the discourse around the subject was "wild".

Smith said: "You'd think there wasn't a planning system at all.

"Comparing a really bad data centre in the middle of the Utah desert doesn't track through to what we're going to have in Scotland."

Earlier this month Smyth attended a meeting in Edinburgh to hear from businesses about the challenges and benefits of adopting AI.

Attendees also discussed the role of Scotland's universities and colleges in developing the AI and data skills which would benefit the economy.

Original source Thousands turn out in Edinburgh to protest against AI data centres

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