The Atlanta metro region is becoming a popular market for data centers, driven by the demand for digital storage and generative AI. This growth is reshaping local utility planning, environmental policy, and community development, while raising concerns about grid strain, water use, and long-term sustainability.

This convening will focus on the policy implications of the rapid growth of data centers, with particular attention to:

• Energy use and the pressures on local and regional grids.
• Water footprint and the sustainability of cooling technologies.
• Community impact, including siting decisions, equity considerations, and economic trade-offs.
• AI-driven opportunities for efficiency, innovation, and responsible infrastructure planning.

By bringing together industry leaders, scientists, engineers, policymakers, community leaders, and early-career professionals, we will openly discuss the trade-offs and opportunities of the local push for AI adoption and infrastructure expansion in ways that help us make informed decisions that put us on a path to a metro region of the future where all community members can thrive. This event is hosted as a collaboration between the National Science Policy Network, ESAL, and Science for Georgia.