Economic empowerment organization hosts AI data center discussion
The Forum for Real Economic Emancipation hosted a discussion in Tulsa about the impact of AI data centers, highlighting Meta's Project Anthem and its resource demands. The event addressed community opposition and the recent moratoriums enacted by the Tulsa and Broken Arrow City Councils due to concerns over water and energy use. The discussion featured state representatives and local organizers.
The Forum for Real Economic Emancipation (FREE) recently hosted a public discussion in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to explore the local impacts of AI data centers. The event, held at the Historic Big 10 Ballroom on August 2, brought together various stakeholders to address community concerns surrounding large-scale data center developments in the region.
A central focus of the discussion was Project Anthem, a $1 billion, 340-acre data center currently under development by Meta in east Tulsa. The project has garnered attention, along with other similar developments, due to its substantial demands on water and energy resources. In response to these concerns, both the Tulsa and Broken Arrow City Councils enacted moratoriums on new data center construction earlier this year, effective until 2027.
Moderated by FREE's founding president Clara Mattei, an economics professor at the University of Tulsa, the panel featured diverse perspectives. Guests included State Rep. Amanda Clinton of Oklahoma's 71st district, Brad Carson (co-founder of Americans for Responsible Innovation), writer Edward Ongweso Jr., and local opposition organizers Cheyenna Morgan of Stop Data Colonialism and Kyle Schmidt of Protect Sand Springs Alliance. The forum aimed to make complex information about technological progress and its societal implications accessible to the public, offering a free dinner and childcare to encourage broad participation.