Off-grid data centers aren't the panacea that some AI firms hoped

Local backlash and reliability concerns are challenging the vision of an AI boom built quickly using large off-grid data centers. Why it matters: If giant projects stumble, trillions of dollars in AI investment and the industry's plans to rapidly expand data centers could be at risk. The big picture: In an effort to speed AI development, some companies are building data centers powered mainly by onsite generation rather than waiting years to connect to the electric grid. There are 59 data…