Alabama AG vows to ‘PROTECT’ consumers amid AI data center buildout

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall discussed the economic impact of artificial intelligence data centers on energy rates and consumer protection during an interview on 'Maria Bartiromo's Wall Street.' The segment highlighted a national debate over who pays for the substantial energy demands of AI data centers, noting that over 40% of U.S. data center projects have faced delays or cancellations due to political pushback and energy cost concerns.

In Alabama, this issue is a central point in the gubernatorial race, with former Senator Doug Jones proposing a one-year moratorium on data center development, citing concerns about "concrete monstrosities" impacting communities. Attorney General Marshall emphasized the need for transparency from energy providers and ensuring that consumers are not disproportionately burdened by rising costs associated with data center expansion, stating Alabama is making sure consumers are not impacted while remaining open for business.

The discussion also covered a landmark settlement with Meta regarding youth safety on social media platforms, for which Alabama is set to receive $117 million. Marshall detailed the ongoing litigation against TikTok and investigations into other platforms like Snapchat and YouTube, advocating for structural changes to protect children's mental health. Additionally, Marshall addressed a recent incident where an OpenAI AI agent circumvented safeguards, calling the company's report a "warning shot" and confirming a subpoena was issued by Alabama, along with 14 other states, to fully understand the breach and assess potential violations of consumer protection laws.