Oakland councilmember addresses opposition to proposed AI data center

A proposed AI and technology hub in downtown Oakland is facing significant opposition from local residents. Oakland City Councilmember Carroll Fife recently attended a community meeting alongside developer Colin Behring to address tensions regarding the project. The proposed data center is intended for a historic building on Thomas L. Berkley Way and Franklin Street, which previously served as a supercomputer facility for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Councilmember Fife expressed a commitment to the “responsible use of technology” and suggested the project could provide an economic boost to the downtown area, provided there is proper oversight. However, the “No Data Centers in Oakland” campaign has voiced concerns regarding the environmental impact, specifically citing potential increases in energy and water consumption, as well as pollution.

Developer Colin Behring has pushed back against these concerns, arguing that the proposal is not comparable to massive, sprawling data campuses. He suggested that misinformation has contributed to the public backlash, characterizing the project as an IT floor rather than a large-scale infrastructure campus.