Mark Cuban Tells Local Communities AI Firms Need Data Centers More Than Air -- So Make Them Pay: 'If They D

Mark Cuban Tells Local Communities AI Firms Need Data Centers More Than Air highlights comments by Mark Cuban urging communities to hold AI infrastructure projects accountable when harm is documented. Cuban responded after Cowboy State Daily reported that the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, suspended accepting wastewater tied to data center cooling systems following a reported contamination linked to a contractor working on a Meta data center. Cuban argued on X that if a data center breaks the law or damages a community, local authorities should pursue strong measures. He also said AI companies need data centers more than they need “air,” and that companies should treat community engagement and mitigation as a cost of doing business. The article ties the remarks to broader backlash, citing Data Center Watch that communities blocked or delayed at least 75 projects worth about $130 billion in the first quarter of 2026. It also references a May Gallup survey in which 71% of Americans oppose building AI data centers near their communities.