NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Mouth taping – sealing the mouth with tape to keep it closed while at rest – has made its way across Instagram and TikTok , and into season seven of the popular reality show Love is Blind . The trend is touted as a way to stop snoring, treat sleep apnoea and improve sleep. Preliminary studies suggest mouth taping may help treat habitual open-mouth breathing , snoring and some mild cases of obstructive sleep apnoea, which occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked repeatedly while sleeping, causing people to stop breathing temporarily. But there is not enough research on how effective it is, who might benefit from it and who should avoid it, experts say. Mouth breathing can temporarily alter the anatomy in the throat, making it narrower and prone to collapse. Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK “In all likelihood, the isolated effect of mouth taping is mild,” says David Kent, an associate professor of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre. The idea behind mouth taping is to encourage nose breathing while sleeping. People are meant to breathe through their nose as it is the body’s air filtration system. Air is breathed in through the nostrils and into the nasal cavity where the mucus membrane captures debris, particles and pathogens, and involuntary responses such as sneezing expel pollutants. Loading The nasal cavity also warms and humidifies the air before it enters the lungs, to prevent damage to the respiratory system. When allergies, illness or structural abnormalities inhibit effective nose breathing, however, people may open their mouths involuntarily as they sleep to get air. Mouth breathing can temporarily alter the anatomy in the throat, making it narrower and prone to collapse. Long term, it can be associated with dental problems such as cavities and gum disease; sleep disorders; and decreased lung function and an exacerbation of symptoms in people with asthma.Rajasthan Royals Squad for IPL 2025: Kumar Kartikeya Singh Sold to RR for INR 30 Lakh at Indian Premier League Auction
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Michelle Klein , Chief Customer and Marketing Officer of IAG, prides herself and her team on “doing the basics brilliantly” while providing an innovative experience for customers. Speaking to Nine CMO Liana Dubois on the latest episode of the Talking Media podcast , Klein said: “The experience and expectations a customer is looking for in your brand or business to deliver are usually quite straightforward.” She noted that customers want clear information and the ability to trust that a brand or company will deliver on its promises and provide excellent service. Klein explained that the relationship with customers is an “ongoing exchange and interaction” and built a picture of customer expectations as an escalator. “Just as you think you’ve defined the ultimate experience for a customer in your category, something changes in technology or the world that then makes that expectation go one step up on the escalator. “Now you can book a taxi on your phone, you can see the world’s greatest hotel network in Airbnb on one single app and easily live in somebody’s house without having to ever meet them. Even though we’re in insurance, those expectations of the experience apply. “We’ve got to start by fundamentally looking at what we do, what we say we’re going to deliver and do it really, really well.” Dubois acknowledged customer service “is a 24/7 job” and every touch point and engagement contributes to the consumer’s experience of a brand. Klein agreed and noted that consumers now have greater access to businesses through innovative tech and social media channels where customers can share feedback and frustrations. She said: “It’s trying to think about the life of the customer that’s 24/7 and also digitalised, so adapting your business model delivery towards that is so important. Dubois pointed out that, unlike her category of media and content, “insurance is low interest until it’s high emotion.” Klein agreed and emphasised the importance of the human touch for customer experience in the insurance category. She noted that insurance can be a “set and forget”, “transactional and rational” purchase until it is needed, which pivots the customer experience to a human and highly emotive one. “I’ve been talking about this quite a lot lately, the conversation around AI and AI-enabling and simplifying and making things more efficient and effective. In those moments, that’s really where you want to speak to a human being. You don’t want to talk to a chatbot.” Dubois asked Klein about finding the balance and boundary between leveraging data effectively and efficiently to create personalised experiences while being mindful of privacy legislation, particularly as an insurance company. “If people understand why you’re collecting their information and how it’s going to make it better for them, ultimately it’s easier for them to want to give it over to you,” Klein said. She noted filling out forms and saving the information so that it is pre-filled for next time, as an example. She also cited being upfront and transparent about why this information is being collected, and positioning some of the marketing consent as a benefit, like being informed of special offers or new products. “I think it’s really important to create the usefulness around data collection and the privacy standards that you are living up to. It’s also about making sure that people understand that a personalised experience is the expectations escalator. “When you use Netflix, Apple Music, Amazon, it’s highly personalised to you, and therefore, if you can look at your business and say, well, how might we explain why personalisation in our business is more impactful for the customer experience, you create that net positive, and that exchange becomes more valuable.” Dubois and Klein also discussed transparently and authentically showing up for consumers, referencing NRMA Insurance’s broadcast partnership with Nine of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. – Top image: Michelle Klein
More Americans Want J6ers Pardoned, as 68 Percent of Dems Support Case-by-Case Reviews if Pardons Go ForwardBOSTON (AP) — JB Frankel hit three of four free throws in the final six seconds to allow Northeastern to hold off Colgate 78-75 on Sunday. Nicolas Louis-Jacques hit three free throws for the Raiders with :07 left to get within two, 75-73, but Frankel hit the second of two to make it a three-point game and, after Jalen Cox hit a pair at the line to pull Colgate within one, 76-75, Frankel hit both free throws to seal the win. Rashad King had 23 points and added eight rebounds for the Huskies (7-3). Harold Woods scored 13 points and added six rebounds. Masai Troutman shot 2 of 7 from the field and 7 of 9 from the free-throw line to finish with 12 points. Brady Cummins led the way for the Raiders (2-8) with 15 points. Colgate also got 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals from Jalen Cox. Louis-Jacques finished with 14 points. King scored 10 points in the first half and Northeastern went into the break trailing 32-28. Northeastern pulled off the victory after a 15-2 second-half run erased a three-point deficit and gave them the lead at 62-52 with 5:58 remaining in the half. King scored 13 second-half points. Northeastern takes on Old Dominion on the road on Sunday, and Colgate visits Kentucky on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents in Barcelona
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