Plans for a sprawling AI data center near Bessemer, Alabama — described in reporting as the size of multiple Walmarts — have provoked strong local opposition, environmental concerns and political divisions within the Republican Party. Supporters tout job creation and investment tied to the burgeoning AI industry, while residents and environmental advocates warn of deforestation, heavy water use, ecological disruption and long-term impacts on local infrastructure and resources. The debate highlights tensions between national strategies to attract AI infrastructure and local communities weighing immediate costs. Coverage examines how federal and state incentives intersect with land-use decisions, the response from local officials and how the controversy is shaping broader conversations about siting large technology facilities in rural and suburban areas.