美国人工智能公司xAI在密西西比州扩建数据中心引发的社区冲突进一步升级。当地居民指控，数据中心配套燃气发电设施产生的持续噪声和震动严重影响日常生活，而最新报道显示，代表xAI开展收购的房地产经纪人正在向附近居民提出购房方案，部分方案要求房主同意不参与针对公司的集体诉讼。此举可能使南海文市（Southaven）一个名为Colonial Hills的社区出现大规模住宅易主。
据《卫报》10月28日报道，xAI方面通过旗下子公司MZX Tech，委托房地产经纪人联系数据中心附近的住宅业主，提出收购房屋的方案。相关信件称，公司因业务需要购置周边物业，并愿意购买符合条件的住宅，但交易条件包括房主放弃与相关集体诉讼有关的部分权利。
一名居民提供的谈话录音显示，一名房地产经纪人提到，收购目标可能达到418套住宅，其中已有18名业主同意出售。xAI没有就这一具体数字及收购计划回应媒体询问。当地不动产登记记录则显示，自10月9日以来，MZX Tech至少已经购入该社区的5套住宅。
这项收购计划涉及的社区位于密西西比州南海文市，靠近xAI为人工智能数据中心建设的配套发电设施。南海文与田纳西州孟菲斯市接壤，是马斯克旗下人工智能基础设施在孟菲斯地区持续扩张的重要组成部分。
争议的核心在于，为数据中心供电的燃气轮机持续产生噪声和震动。当地居民称，这些设备运行时会发出高频嗡鸣声以及类似飞机飞过的低沉轰鸣，部分声音几乎昼夜不停，已经影响睡眠、生活质量和房屋价值。
今年6月，三名居民向联邦法院提起集体诉讼，指控xAI、SpaceX及其相关子公司未能有效控制发电设施产生的噪声，构成公共滋扰。原告希望代表可能超过1万人的群体索取赔偿，涉及精神损害、房产贬值以及其他被指由长期噪声造成的损失。相关指控尚未经过法院最终认定。
其中一名原告杰森·黑利表示，他在当地居住了20年，此前并未把自己视为社会活动人士，但持续的噪声已经严重干扰他的生活。他称，夜间的高频声音让自己难以入睡，有时只能离开家，或者播放音乐掩盖噪声，直到精疲力竭后才能入睡。
黑利还表示，他曾尝试与当地政府沟通，但认为自己的诉求没有得到有效回应。密西西比州政府支持人工智能产业投资，州长泰特·里夫斯曾将限制数据中心发展与美国在技术竞争中让步联系起来。黑利对此表示不满，认为居民要求减少噪声，并不意味着反对技术发展，而是希望企业对自身设施给社区造成的影响承担责任。
xAI则否认有关噪声扰民的指控。公司此前表示，重视与周边社区保持良好关系，并称已经调整发电设备的输出功率、建设隔音墙等设施，以降低噪声影响。不过，居民与公司对于现有措施是否足以解决问题，仍存在明显分歧。
此次住宅收购计划引发的另一项争议，是出售房屋与放弃诉讼权利之间的关系。根据部分居民收到的信件，房主需要在交易中同意解除与相关集体诉讼有关的索赔权利。对于希望继续参与诉讼、要求公司改变运营方式的居民而言，这一条件可能直接影响他们是否能够继续追究相关责任。
一些居民已经接受收购方案，另一些人则仍在考虑。与此同时，社区中的租户面临不同处境：他们并不拥有住宅，因此无法通过出售房屋获得相应补偿，但如果仍然居住在受噪声影响的区域，日常生活依然可能受到干扰。代表居民的律师表示，符合条件的租户也可以纳入相关集体诉讼的潜在群体。
围绕这座数据中心的法律纠纷并不只有噪声诉讼。今年4月，美国全国有色人种协进会（NAACP）密西西比州分会另行起诉xAI，指控其在南海文使用天然气轮机为数据中心供电时，违反《清洁空气法》的相关要求。该组织认为，公司在建设和运营相关设施时没有取得必要的许可，也没有采用法律要求的污染控制技术，可能对附近以黑人居民为主的社区造成空气污染风险。
这起环境诉讼涉及约69台燃气轮机。密西西比州环境质量部门此前认为，部分设备属于临时、可移动设施，因此不需要按照固定发电设施的方式取得空气排放许可。随着临时设备运行期限延长，这一认定及其法律依据也受到环保组织质疑。
美国司法部随后申请介入环境诉讼，并试图推动案件被驳回，理由涉及联邦政府对《清洁空气法》执行的权限，以及相关数据中心对美国经济、能源和国家安全的重要性。10月，联邦法官允许司法部介入，但拒绝了政府要求直接驳回案件的请求。这意味着相关环境争议仍将继续审理。
噪声诉讼与空气污染诉讼针对的是不同问题，但都围绕同一项人工智能基础设施扩张计划展开。前者关注设备运行对居民生活、睡眠和财产价值造成的影响，后者则聚焦燃气轮机的排放许可及污染控制要求。两类案件都尚未对所有争议作出最终判决。
xAI及其相关企业持续扩大孟菲斯地区的数据中心规模，反映出人工智能计算需求正在推动大型科技公司快速建设新的电力与算力基础设施。训练和运行先进人工智能模型需要大量电力，而当地电网的供电能力、接入速度和基础设施建设进度，都会影响数据中心的扩张计划。使用现场燃气轮机可以在一定程度上缓解供电压力，但也会带来噪声、空气排放以及土地使用方面的争议。
对于Colonial Hills的居民而言，住宅收购计划使原本围绕噪声和环境影响的争论，又增加了财产权、诉讼权利和社区未来走向等问题。如果收购规模继续扩大，社区的住宅所有权结构可能发生明显变化；但现阶段，尚不能确定最终会有多少房屋成交，也无法判断整个社区是否会被纳入企业的收购范围。
这场争议反映出人工智能产业快速扩张与当地居民权益之间日益突出的矛盾。数据中心能够带来资本投入、基础设施建设和相关经济活动，但其供电设施也可能给周边社区带来长期影响。随着相关诉讼继续推进，法院如何处理噪声滋扰、空气排放和居民诉讼权利等问题，将影响这类大型人工智能项目今后在美国社区中的建设与运营方式。
本文由 AI宝库自动抓取并翻译，版权归原作者所有；如需查看原文请点下方链接。
The community conflict caused by the expansion of the data centre in Mississippi by the United States Artificial Intelligence Corporation x AI further escalated. Local residents have alleged that the ongoing noise and vibrations generated by the gas-fired power-generating facilities associated with the data centre have seriously affected daily life, while recent reports indicate that real estate brokers who purchase on behalf of XAI are proposing home-purchase programmes to nearby residents, some of which require landlords to agree not to take part in collective litigation against companies. This may lead to large-scale residential displacement in a community called Colonial Hills in South Haven.
According to the Guardian newspaper, on 28 October, the XAI side, through the flagship subsidiary MZX Tech, commissioned real estate brokers to contact homeowners near the data centre to propose options for the purchase of houses. According to the letter, the company had to purchase the surrounding property because of its business and was willing to purchase the eligible dwelling, but the terms of the transaction included a waiver by the owner of part of its rights in relation to the related class action.
An audio recording of a conversation provided by a resident indicated that a real estate broker had mentioned that the acquisition target could be 418 dwellings, of which 18 owners had agreed to sell. XAI did not respond to media enquiries about this specific figure and the acquisition plan. Local real estate registration records show that since 9 October, MZX Tech has purchased at least five homes in the community.
The acquisition plan involves communities located in the city of South Haven, Mississippi, close to the auxiliary power generation facility built by XAI for the artificial intelligence data centre. South Haven, bordering Memphis, Tennessee, is an important part of the ongoing expansion of the Mask-based artificial intelligence infrastructure in the Memphis region.
At the heart of the dispute is the continued noise and vibration of gas turbines that power data centres. Local residents claimed that the equipment operated with high-frequency buzzes and low noises similar to those flown by aircraft, some of which were almost round-the-clock, affecting sleep, quality of life and the value of the house.
In June this year, three residents filed a class action in the Federal Court, alleging that XAI, SpaceX and their related subsidiaries had failed to effectively control the noise generated by power generation facilities, which constituted a public disturbance. The plaintiff wished to claim compensation on behalf of a group that might exceed 10,000, for moral damage, devaluation of the property and other losses alleged to have been caused by long-term noise. The charges have not yet been finalized by the courts.
One of the plaintiffs, Jason Healy, stated that he had lived there for 20 years and had not previously considered himself a social activist, but that his life had been seriously disrupted by the continued noise. He claims that high-frequency noises at night make it difficult for him to sleep, sometimes by leaving his home or by playing music to cover the noise until he is exhausted.
Helli also stated that he had tried to communicate with the local authorities but did not consider his claims to have been effectively answered. The Mississippi government supported investment in the artificial intelligence industry, and Governor Tette Reeves had linked limiting data centre development to United States concessions in technological competition. Helli was dissatisfied, arguing that the population's demand for less noise did not mean opposition to technological development, but rather that the enterprise should be held responsible for the impact of its facilities on the community.
XAI denies the allegations of noise harassment. The company had previously stated that it attached importance to maintaining good relations with the surrounding communities and that it had adjusted the output power of its power generation equipment and built facilities such as soundproofing walls to reduce the noise impact. However, there is still a clear disagreement between the population and the company as to the adequacy of existing measures.
Another controversy arising out of this home acquisition scheme is the relationship between the sale of the house and the waiver of the right to litigation. According to correspondence received by some residents, the landlord was required to agree in the transaction to release the claim relating to the related class action. This condition may have a direct impact on the continued accountability of residents who wish to continue to participate in litigation and to require companies to change their way of doing business.
Some residents have accepted acquisition programmes, while others are still considering them. At the same time, tenants in the community face a different situation: they do not own a home and are therefore unable to obtain compensation through the sale of a home, but their daily lives may still be disrupted if they continue to live in areas affected by noise. Lawyers representing residents indicated that eligible tenants could also be included in potential groups for the relevant class action.
Legal disputes surrounding this data centre are not limited to noise litigation. In April of this year, the National Council of Colored People of the United States (NAACP) Mississippi branch filed a separate indictment against XAI for violating the Clean Air Act when it used natural gas turbines to power data centres in South Haven. According to the organization, the company ' s failure to obtain the necessary permits for the construction and operation of the facilities and the lack of the application of the pollution control technology required by law could pose air pollution risks to nearby communities, mainly black residents.
This environmental action involved some 69 gas turbines. The Environmental Quality Department of Mississippi previously considered that some of the equipment was temporary, mobile and therefore did not require air emission permits in the form of fixed power generation facilities. This determination and its legal basis have been challenged by environmental organizations with the extension of the operating period of the temporary equipment.
The United States Department of Justice subsequently filed an application for intervention in environmental litigation and attempted to facilitate the dismissal of the case on the grounds of the Federal Government ' s permission on the Clean Air Act and the importance of the relevant data centre to the United States economy, energy and national security. In October, federal judges allowed the Ministry of Justice to intervene, but refused the Government ' s request to dismiss the case directly. This means that the relevant environmental disputes will continue.
Noise litigation and air pollution litigation have addressed different issues, but have been organized around the same artificial intelligent infrastructure expansion plan. The former focuses on the impact of the operation of the equipment on the lives, sleep and property value of the population, while the latter focuses on emission permits and pollution control requirements for gas turbines. In both cases, no final judgement has been rendered on all disputes.
XAI and its related enterprises have continued to expand data centres in the Memphis region, reflecting the need for artificial intelligence computing that is driving large technology companies to rapidly build new power and computing infrastructure. The training and operation of advanced artificial intelligence models requires a large amount of electricity, and the ability of the local grid to provide electricity, the speed of access and the pace of infrastructure development affect the expansion plans of the data centres. The use of in-situ gas turbines can alleviate some of the power pressure, but can also lead to noise, air emissions and land-use disputes.
For the inhabitants of the Colonial Hills, the home acquisition scheme had led to a debate about noise and environmental impacts, adding property rights, litigation rights and the future direction of the community. If acquisitions continue to expand, there may be significant changes in the housing ownership structure of the community; at this stage, however, it is not possible to determine how many houses will eventually be sold or whether the whole community will be included in the acquisition of the business.
The controversy reflects the growing contradiction between the rapid expansion of the artificial intelligence industry and the interests of the local population. Data centres can bring capital inputs, infrastructure development and related economic activities, but their power supply can also have long-term impacts on surrounding communities. As the related litigation continues, the court's treatment of noise disturbances, air emissions and residents' rights to litigation will affect the way such large artificial intelligence projects will build and operate in the United States community in the future.
Auto-fetched and translated by AI Gem Box. All rights belong to the original author.