Data centers are creating 'heat islands' on land around them - warming them by up to 16 degrees, researchers warn

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Source: The Independent

Tuesday 31 March 2026 12:47 EDT


The rapid global expansion of data centers used to power artificial intelligence is creating “data heat islands” that significantly warm the surrounding environment, according to new research.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, suggests that these vast AI data centers can increase local land surface temperatures by an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2C), with some extreme cases recording rises of up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit (9.1C). This localized warming effect is estimated to affect more than 340 million people worldwide.

As the tech industry races to build “hyperscale” facilities — some spanning over a million square feet — to meet the computing demands of AI, researchers are warning of a lack of oversight regarding their environmental footprint.

There are still big gaps in our understanding of the impacts of data centers, even as they boom in number, Andrea Marinoni, associate professor at the University of Cambridge and an author of the study, told CNN.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/climate-change/ai-data-center-heat-islands-usage-climate-b2949418.html

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Link to PUBLICATION - The data heat island effect: quantifying the impact of AI data centers in a warming world