By Hakeem Anwar, Above
United States, July 13th, 2026 — Above, an independent and conscious technology company, has released the AI Data Center Map, alongside their AI Data Center Ecology Report (aidatacentermap.org).
The map gives residents, policymakers, and journalists the ability to browse 4,000+ U.S. data centers. With a single click, users can calculate the projected electricity and water consumption of nearby facilities. By making the data and methodology publicly accessible, Above aims to generate informed dialogue about the risks of rapid nationwide AI-data center expansion.
Highlights from the data indicate that if all planned U.S. AI data centers are completed by 2030, they could consume 200GW of electricity — over 40% of today’s total U.S. power demands.
Zooming into the local level, the interactive map enables individuals to see estimated megawatt demand, gallons of water used per day, number of homes displaced, and the heat-island effects from nearby data centers. Additional map layers add context on major U.S. aquifers, high-voltage transmission lines, and water-stressed areas, illustrating the relationships between AI data centers and our natural resources.
Instead of following the tech industry’s AI hype, Above’s CEO Hakeem Anwar is taking a real look at the risks. “We can’t ignore this issue,” Anwar says. “Data center developers are saving billions in federal, state, and local tax programs while consumers are being crushed under the weight of overwhelmed public utilities.”
This issue is alive in the hearts of Americans; 60 U.S. counties have already enacted moratoriums on new data-center development. According to Anwar, “The fight is only beginning. From now till 2030, the United States is building more data-center capacity than consumers could ever dream of using. This buildout may be the final nail in the coffin for American affordability and our nation’s environmental health.”
The AI Data Center Ecology Report maps the entire lifecycle of massive AI data-center projects, from site selection to permitting. It delivers actionable solutions by presenting case-studies of community victories and setbacks, along with a framework to identify proposed data centers before they go public. For those wanting to take a personal stand, it includes step-by-step instructions on minimizing AI functionality across phones, laptops, browsers, and more.
“Regulations have failed us,” Anwar adds. “Through conscious choices that minimize AI usage and non-violent resistance, it’s up to us to ensure that AI data centers don’t destabilize us further.”
Above (abovephone.com) is a conscious technology startup founded in 2021. They are creators of end-to-end solutions like the Above Phone, a de-googled privacy phone, and Above Book, an open-source Linux laptop. Their products and services mark a new era where technology protects the privacy of its users and empowers them to create, not consume.
The Best “Go Paid” Deal on Substack! You Get REAL Stuff!!
Go paid at the $5 a month level, and we will send you both the PDF and e-Pub versions of Etienne’s new book: To See the Cage Is to Leave It - 25 Techniques the Few Use to Control the Many and a coupon code for 10% off anything in the https://artofliberty.org/store/.
Go paid at the $50 a year level, and we will send you a free paperback edition of Etienne’s new book: To See the Cage Is to Leave It - 25 Techniques the Few Use to Control the Many OR “Government” - The Biggest Scam in History… Exposed! OR a 64GB Liberator flash drive if you live in the US. If you are international, we will give you a $10 credit towards shipping if you agree to pay the remainder.
Support us at the $250 Founding Member Level and get a signed high-resolution hardcover of “Government” - The Biggest Scam in History... Exposed! + Liberator flash drive + a signed high-resolution hardcover of Etienne’s new book: To See the Cage Is to Leave It - 25 Techniques the Few Use to Control the Many + everything else in our “Everything Bundle” of the best in voluntaryist thought delivered domestically. International pays shipping. Our only option for signed copies besides catching Etienne @ an event.
