How a rare bee species killed Meta's nuclear power goal
Meta's ambitious project to power its artificial intelligence (AI) data center with nuclear energy has been stopped in its tracks by the discovery of a rare bee species. According to the Financial Times, environmental regulators halted the project after surveyors discovered an unspecified species of pollinators on the proposed development land on November 4. The site was chosen for its proximity to a nuclear plant, which would have supplied energy for Meta's AI operations.
Zuckerberg confirms project cancelation
During a company-wide meeting, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the project's termination. He said the initiative had previously positioned Meta to become the first company to use nuclear power for an AI data center. However, details about the specific bee species or the nuclear plant involved in this project remain undisclosed by Meta.
Tech giants' energy demand and environmental impact
The energy demand among tech giants such as Meta has skyrocketed with growing investments in AI technology. Data centers built to handle AI workloads are a major contributor to rising emissions. Microsoft, for example, recently reported as much as a 48% increase in pollution levels since 2019 for the same reason. In a July sustainability report, Google researchers admitted it was hard to cut emissions while adding more AI to their services.
AI projects' energy consumption sparks criticism
The extreme energy consumption for AI projects has drawn criticism and alarmed environmentalists. An AI-integrated search query can use up to 10 times the energy compared to a regular search. Hence, major tech players are now looking to nuclear energy as a solution. Microsoft plans to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear plant for AI, Amazon is heavily investing in a partnership with the Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, and Google is looking into modular "mini" nuclear reactors.
Speculation on bee species halting Meta's initiative
While the exact bee species behind Meta's setback remains unknown, experts have hinted at possible culprits. Brock Harpur, an assistant professor of entomology at Purdue University, indicated that if the site is present in California, it could involve protected bumblebee species. He also speculated that if the site were located elsewhere in the Midwest or East Coast, the endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee could have caused the regulatory roadblock.
