JESS. ALL RIGHT. JOSEPH. THANK YOU. DATA CENTERS AGAIN TAKING CENTER STAGE IN THE METRO TODAY. ORGANIZERS SAY THE GOAL WAS TO PRESENT THE FACTS AND EASE CONCERNS ABOUT THE EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY. THIS COMES AS THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER PROJECTS. THAT MORATORIUM, IN EFFECT STARTING NOW, AND IT GOES THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR. WE WANT TO GET OVER NOW TO KOCO OLIVIA HICKEY, JOINING US LIVE IN THE KOCO NEWSROOM. OLIVIA. AND A LOT OF WAYS, IT’S IT’S FITTING THAT THIS CONVERSATION HAPPENED ON EARTH DAY. ABSOLUTELY. AND I’M TOLD THAT WAS THE INTENTION WITH THE PANEL BEING HELD ON EARTH DAY. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WAS A MAJOR FOCUS. THE BIG QUESTION TODAY, HOW CAN THIS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WITHOUT DESTROYING THE PLANET? OUR REAL PROBLEM TO TACKLE IS HOW DO WE SEE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE ENERGY THAT THEY ARE USING IS BEING USED MORE EFFICIENTLY. WHAT ARE THE RESEARCH SHOULD GO IN? LIKE HOW DO WE MANAGE OUR WATER RESOURCES MORE CAREFULLY? OUR DATA, OUR PLANET? THIS WAS THE THEME OF WEDNESDAY’S DATA CENTER SYMPOSIUM IN OKLAHOMA CITY. THEY’RE COMING. DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME. WE KNOW WE’RE GOING TO GET MORE OF THEM. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR SOCIETY? SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THE NEGATIVE PROS AND CONS AND HOW CAN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A MORE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY FROM COLLEGES TO THE CAPITAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS TABOO TOPIC ACROSS THE SOONER STATE HAD THE CHANCE TO COLLABORATE. WE’RE TOLD THE GOAL OF THE DISCUSSION WAS TO PRESENT THE FACTS IN BLACK AND WHITE AND GIVE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO FORM THEIR OWN OPINION. THIS COMES AS THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED ON AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE THIS WEEK, TEMPORARILY BLOCKING NEW DATA CENTER PROJECTS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS MORATORIUM, AND THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE SYMPOSIUM IS TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF EVERY, YOU KNOW, STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS. THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR STATE, WHAT ARE THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING MADE TO TO PROTECT THE RATEPAYERS? FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE DEBUNKING MYTHS, THEY CONTINUE TO SWIRL, INCLUDING THOSE AROUND JOB SECURITY. THEY WORRIED ABOUT COMPUTERS WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT. IF YOU DO SOME HISTORY, LOOK AT LIKE THE 1950S COMPUTERS. PEOPLE WERE REALLY SCARED ABOUT THE BIG BRAIN THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE OVER. NOBODY WAS GOING TO HAVE A JOB. BUT AS A RESULT, NEW JOBS WERE CREATED. I UNCERTAIN ABOUT AI, WHAT WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE FOR AI, BUT I’M SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY I
Oklahoma City symposium explores data centers’ impact on Earth Day
A symposium in Oklahoma City on Earth Day focused on the environmental impact of data centers and artificial intelligence, coinciding with a City Council moratorium on new data center projects through the end of the year.
Updated: 5:13 PM CDT Apr 22, 2026
A symposium in Oklahoma City on Earth Day brought together stakeholders to discuss the environmental impact of data centers and artificial intelligence, coinciding with the City Council’s unanimous approval of a moratorium on new data center projects through the end of the year. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterOrganizers said the event, themed “Our Data, Our Planet,” aimed to present facts and ease concerns about the evolving technology. Kumar Mayank, president of the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, emphasized the importance of energy efficiency and water management. “Our real problem to tackle is how do we see that the energy that they are using is being used more efficiently, what are the researchers doing, like how are we managing our water sources, more carefully,” Mayank said. The symposium provided a platform for collaboration among stakeholders from colleges to the Capitol. Kerry Rowland, a board member of the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, highlighted the inevitability of data centers and the need for sustainable practices. “They’re coming. Data centers have been here for a long time. You know, we’re gonna get more of them. What does that mean for society? What are the benefits, what are the pros and cons, and how can we work together to create a more environmental and sustainable society,” Rowland said. Mayank noted that many people are unaware of the city council’s moratorium and stressed the importance of raising awareness about policies affecting stakeholders. “As far as I know, not many people are aware of the moratorium, and that is the whole purpose of this — to make people aware. Stakeholders, they should be aware of what’s going on in our state, what are the policies that are being made to protect rate payers, for example, from the data centers,” Mayank said. The symposium also addressed myths surrounding data centers and artificial intelligence, including concerns about job security. Rowland pointed to historical fears about computers and expressed optimism about AI’s potential to create new opportunities. “They were worried about computers when they first came out. If you do some history, look at the 1950s. Computers — people were really scared about the big brain that was taking over, no one was going to have a job, but it created jobs,” Rowland said. “I am uncertain on what comes for the future of AI, but I know certainly, knowingly, it will create new opportunity for jobs in the future.” Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Organizers said the symposium opened the door to further conversations about how data centers and AI can be integrated into the workforce.Top HeadlinesPerson rushed to hospital after being impaled with pole during fight in southwest Oklahoma City‘Bear cam’ records the moment a bear scored a bag of Doritos from a Connecticut porchCalifornia woman mourns soldier fiancé killed in motorcycle crash hours after proposalTIMELINE: Severe storms with a low tornado risk possible Thursday in OklahomaIran fires on 3 ships in the Strait of Hormuz, complicating efforts to resume US-Iran talks
OKLAHOMA CITY —
A symposium in Oklahoma City on Earth Day brought together stakeholders to discuss the environmental impact of data centers and artificial intelligence, coinciding with the City Council’s unanimous approval of a moratorium on new data center projects through the end of the year.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
Organizers said the event, themed “Our Data, Our Planet,” aimed to present facts and ease concerns about the evolving technology.
Kumar Mayank, president of the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, emphasized the importance of energy efficiency and water management.
“Our real problem to tackle is how do we see that the energy that they are using is being used more efficiently, what are the researchers doing, like how are we managing our water sources, more carefully,” Mayank said.
The symposium provided a platform for collaboration among stakeholders from colleges to the Capitol.
Kerry Rowland, a board member of the Oklahoma chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, highlighted the inevitability of data centers and the need for sustainable practices.
“They’re coming. Data centers have been here for a long time. You know, we’re gonna get more of them. What does that mean for society? What are the benefits, what are the pros and cons, and how can we work together to create a more environmental and sustainable society,” Rowland said.
Mayank noted that many people are unaware of the city council’s moratorium and stressed the importance of raising awareness about policies affecting stakeholders.
“As far as I know, not many people are aware of the moratorium, and that is the whole purpose of this — to make people aware. Stakeholders, they should be aware of what’s going on in our state, what are the policies that are being made to protect rate payers, for example, from the data centers,” Mayank said.
The symposium also addressed myths surrounding data centers and artificial intelligence, including concerns about job security. Rowland pointed to historical fears about computers and expressed optimism about AI’s potential to create new opportunities.
“They were worried about computers when they first came out. If you do some history, look at the 1950s. Computers — people were really scared about the big brain that was taking over, no one was going to have a job, but it created jobs,” Rowland said. “I am uncertain on what comes for the future of AI, but I know certainly, knowingly, it will create new opportunity for jobs in the future.”
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
Organizers said the symposium opened the door to further conversations about how data centers and AI can be integrated into the workforce.
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