AXIOS (Amy Harder) - Arizona emerges as test case for AI's energy and water crunch
PHOENIX — This desert region has become a bellwether for the nation's data center growth as the tech sector grapples with rising temperatures and scarce resources. Why it matters: Arizona is an extreme microcosm of the challenges the AI boom is running into across the country, as tech companies race to build data centers demanding massive amounts of power and testing local water supplies. "What took our utilities 100+ years to build, we need to double that within the next four to five years to keep up with demand," said Kevin Thompson, who serves on the Arizona Corporation Commission, a powerful utility regulator whose members are elected statewide. - Speaking at an Axios event Tuesday in Phoenix, Thompson continued: "How do you do that…
