'A better kind of data center': Oracle launches new Project Jupiter ad campaign

Oracle has initiated a new advertising campaign, 'Project Jupiter,' to counter public skepticism surrounding its large-scale AI data center in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The campaign, broadcast in English and Spanish across TV, radio, and social media, aims to highlight the project's economic, environmental, and community benefits.

Julia Robin, Oracle's head of infrastructure planning and sourcing, stated that the project is expected to deliver significant benefits to Doña Ana County residents, and the company wants to ensure New Mexicans receive direct facts about it. The controversial data center, planned for Santa Teresa, will provide computing capacity for Oracle and OpenAI. While developers tout 4,000 construction jobs, 1,500 ongoing jobs, and over $110 million in annual economic impact, critics have raised concerns about air pollution, climate-warming emissions, and high water usage in the drought-prone region.

In response to these concerns, Project Jupiter's developers recently announced a pivot from natural gas turbines to natural gas-powered fuel cells, which is expected to lower projected greenhouse gas emissions and reduce water demand. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management also authorized a nearly 18-mile natural gas pipeline for the project earlier this month. Oracle has also committed $50 million to local water systems and $360 million for schools, infrastructure, and local services, in addition to partnering with the Well Done Foundation to fund the cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells.