U.S. Data Center Industry Faces Legislative Moratorium and Rising Theft

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez introduced legislation that would impose an immediate moratorium on the construction of new data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence until federal regulations address the sector’s energy, water, economic and social impacts. The bill also proposes restrictions on exporting specialized AI chips to countries lacking comparable regulations.

At the same time, law‑enforcement agencies have uncovered a surge in organized theft of data‑center equipment in the United States. In Illinois, police recovered two trucks containing over $1 million in stolen copper cabling and other materials, part of a broader pattern of high‑value thefts targeting the supply chain for AI data centers. Criminal groups are reportedly using generative‑AI tools to falsify transport documentation and intercept shipments, contributing to estimated national losses of $35 billion annually from cargo theft.