Residents report low hum and vibration near big AI data centers

In short: More people living near large AI and cloud data centers are reporting a constant low, rumbling hum and saying it is hurting their sleep and well-being.

What's going on

Residents in several countries who live near big data centers, including “hyperscale” sites, say they hear or feel a low-frequency hum around the clock. Low-frequency means very deep sound, like the bass you feel from a subwoofer in a car (you may feel it in your body even when it does not seem loud).

These facilities run thousands of computers plus large cooling and power equipment. That includes industrial fans, chillers, cooling towers, and backup diesel generators. Together they can create steady noise with a strong low-frequency component, and it often stands out more at night when everything else is quiet.

Community and environmental groups have cited indoor measurements around 90 to 96 decibels in some data halls, which is above levels often considered risky with long exposure. Sound levels outside nearby homes are usually lower, but low-frequency sound can travel farther and is harder to block. Residents say they can sometimes hear it or feel vibrations hundreds of feet away, and in some cases more than 2 miles away.

People report sleep loss, headaches, dizziness, nausea, stress, and trouble concentrating. Some also report higher blood pressure. Public health research on low-frequency noise from other industrial sources links long-term exposure to sleep disruption, stress, annoyance, and cardiovascular risks, but direct cause-and-effect links to specific AI data center sites are still being studied.

What to watch

Expect more fights over how noise is measured and regulated. Many local rules use “A-weighted” decibels, a common method that can undercount deep bass sounds. Communities are also pushing for better planning, stronger sound barriers, and bigger distances between data centers and homes.

Source: NYTimes