What exactly does a data center do? They're all over Florida

• Data centers are physical facilities that house the technology needed for digital services like generative AI and cloud computing.
• The growth of data centers is raising environmental concerns due to their high consumption of energy and water.
• Communities near data centers can experience higher utility costs, noise pollution and increased strain on the power grid.
• While data centers create some economic opportunities, they typically offer a limited number of permanent jobs.

Data centers are a hot topic of conversation online and in politics as generative AI explodes in popularity and the November midterm elections loom.

The resources needed to support data centers are putting pressure on the communities they're situated in across the country. In February, President Donald Trump called on tech companies that use data centers to power their AI to start covering their power costs.

But what are data centers, exactly? What do they do? And if the tech companies that use them aren't covering the energy costs, who does?

Here's what data centers do, how they affect the communities around them and how many data centers are in Florida.

What exactly does a data center do?

Data centers are large physical sites that house the technology needed to support digital infrastructures like generative AI and "the cloud."

"Previously, these types of computing resources were dispersed across businesses, which was far less efficient and secure," the Data Center Coalition website says.

"In 2010, nearly 80 percent of data center computing was done in smaller traditional computer centers, largely owned and operated by non-technology companies. By 2018, approximately 89 percent of data center computing took place in larger cloud data centers."

Simply put, anything that takes place online "in the cloud" or is created with generative AI is powered by a physical data center.

The environmental repercussions caused by data centers are a major sticking point for many voters, with rising opposition to the resource-guzzling centers emerging online and among lawmakers.

"Large data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons per day, equivalent to the water use of a town populated by 10,000 to 50,000 people," according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute.

"With larger and new AI-focused data centers, water consumption is increasing alongside energy usage and carbon emissions."

What happens when a data center is built near you?

The main way data centers affect the communities they're in or near is by driving up utility costs for residents through water and energy use and putting more strain on the power grid.

"When data centers are built, they raise utility rates for nearby communities," according to a study from the University of Michigan. "As demand surges, utility companies often pass the costs of infrastructure upgrades and increased energy procurement onto residents and small businesses through higher rates."

Here are seven ways data centers affect communities in the U.S., from the World Resources Institute:

• Soaring energy demand, higher utility bills: "As technology advances and computing demand grows, data centers are becoming increasingly energy hungry. A single modern AI data center can use as much power as 100,000 homes; many of the larger ones now being built are expected to consume up to 20 times that amount."
• Local water supply impacts: "Recent estimates project that by 2028, AI-related data centers in the U.S. could require up to 32 billion gallons of water annually. This is enough to support roughly 360,000 households’ indoor water use."
• Air pollution and climate impacts: "Data centers need a constant and reliable power supply. Many facilities rely on gas-fired generation for routine operations alongside diesel generators for emergency backup. Both come with climate and health risks."
• Noise pollution: "Data center construction, rooftop cooling systems and backup generators can be disruptively noisy. Smaller diesel generators reportedly reach 85 decibels, levels that can harm hearing. Larger industrial units can approach 100 decibels — equivalent to a motorcycle or jackhammer."
• Competition for land use: "Massive data centers are reshaping how land is used in many communities. In 2024, the average data center site covered about 224 acres or 0.35 square miles — roughly the size of 450 football fields."
• Pressure on marginalized communities: "(Many data centers) are in census tracts with above-median environmental burdens, such as air pollution, park access and water pollution, as measured by the Center for Disease Control’s Environmental Justice Index. Many were located in areas with social vulnerability indicators, such as poverty and lower education levels."
• Limited job opportunities: "Data center development can create real economic opportunities... Yet these positions are fairly limited. A review of more than 1,200 U.S. data centers found that even the largest employ fewer than 150 permanent workers, and sometimes as few as 25."

Who owns the most data centers?

Amazon Web Services (AWS) owns the most data centers in the U.S., with more than 100 across the country, according to ABI Research, a tech intelligence and advisory firm based in New York.

According to ABI, Meta comes in second place, with more than 60 data centers.

How many data centers are in Florida?

According to the World Resources Institute, Virginia is the state that houses the most data centers, with 566 in the state as of Jan. 2026. Florida has the tenth-most data centers in the U.S., with 107.

If you want to see where Florida's data centers are located, you can use the interactive map on the Data Center Map website. There are 103 Florida data centers on the map as of April 21, 2026.

Lianna Norman is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.