People from Mississippi and the greater Memphis region met in Southaven over the weekend to press xAI to stop operating turbines they believe are harming local air quality without the proper permits.
According to WJTV, the NAACP used Saturday's gathering at the M.R. Davis Public Library to hear from residents worried about the environmental effects of xAI's nearby data center activity.
What happened?
One topic was the NAACP's effort to make xAI answer for the gas turbines connected to its operations.
Abre' Conner, director of the NAACP's Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, said the organization was contesting the permit issued to xAI and also objected to the company's "operating without permits at all."
Organizers pointed to the legal fight already underway: Three lawsuits have been filed, including two over air pollution and a federal citizens' suit focused on the unpermitted turbines. They said xAI has 41 permitted turbines and 60 unpermitted turbines, per WJTV.
Pressure has spread into politics as well. Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson appeared outside xAI's southwest Memphis facility with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and Barbara Lee to call for a moratorium.
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For some residents, the issue is tied directly to family health. Kelly Jacobs of Hernando, whose husband has asthma, said, "We're dying. My husband is suffering, and it's because of the pollution. We need to turn them off."
Why is this concerning?
The dispute reflects growing tension around the artificial intelligence boom. While the technology is often promoted as a source of innovation, the infrastructure needed to support it can place major demands on surrounding communities.
Large data centers often require enormous amounts of electricity, and their cooling systems can consume significant amounts of water.
That creates a direct connection between AI and the energy grid. AI can optimize power systems, improve forecasting for wind and solar energy, and make buildings and industries more efficient. At the same time, powering AI can increase electricity demand, strain local infrastructure, raise pollution, and push costs higher for nearby households.
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The outcome of this dispute could shape how other communities respond as more AI-related facilities are built across the country.
What's being done?
The NAACP took the fight beyond public pressure and into the legal system.
Those efforts include support from outside groups. The Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice submitted challenges on the NAACP's behalf, giving the dispute formal routes through the courts and regulatory system.
Meanwhile, residents and elected officials are continuing to draw attention to the issue through town halls and public demonstrations. xAI, for its part, has said it is working to meet environmental regulations, WJTV reported.
"Just because they're here, it doesn't make it right," Jacobs said.
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