TechCapsules

The November 3 midterms gave Democrats full control of Congress, creating a split government with a Republican president and setting the stage for heightened scrutiny of AI data centers. Exit polls showed over half of voters view AI as more harmful than beneficial and nearly 80 % oppose nearby data‑center construction, with 60 % saying the issue influenced their vote. Candidates in Ohio, Texas, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Georgia and South Carolina won on anti‑data‑center platforms, and Ohio recently banned a [...]

AI data centers are turning to converted jet engines to generate electricity amid long grid connection waits. Retired aircraft engines are rebuilt to burn natural gas, allowing a data center to be operational in about 24 months versus up to seven years for grid hookups. Companies such as xAI, OpenAI, and Crusoe have deployed or ordered these units, while Microsoft withdrew from a project due to power delays. The engines are less efficient and more polluting than [...]

At a Brooklyn midterm‑election gathering hosted by Newsreel, a panel on data centers sparked intense debate, reflecting growing voter anxiety over AI‑driven infrastructure. Reporters noted that $200 billion in data‑center projects have been delayed or blocked in the first half of 2026 due to community opposition, while states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, New York and Virginia consider stricter transparency rules. Panelists—including a technology‑rights researcher and an environmental health advocate—highlighted concerns about secret deals, zoning opacity, environmental and health [...]

Researchers have disclosed a critical Linux kernel vulnerability, CVE‑2026‑99999, dubbed PwnEscape, that lets code running inside a virtual machine read, crash, or execute code on the host. The flaw resides in the kernel’s networking stack and was demonstrated against Vercel’s production sandboxes, where crafted network packets leaked about 32 bytes of host memory per packet and could destabilize the host with just two packets. The exploit requires code already executing in a guest VM, not remote internet access. [...]

Microchip Technology has broadened its data‑center lineup with a new PCIe 6.0 Low‑Lane‑Count switch, an upgraded NVMe 5016 SSD controller, and enhanced SmartRAID 4300 storage accelerators. The switch delivers up to 64 Gen‑6 lanes, DMA, multicast, and secure boot, targeting space‑ and power‑constrained platforms. The SSD controller adds CNSA 2.0 post‑quantum security, dual‑port redundancy, and QoS features. SmartRAID updates introduce RAID 6/60, SEDs, Linux/Windows support, and in‑service management tools. Together, the products aim to simplify design, boost [...]

Cisco’s Rakesh Chopra explains that training the world’s largest AI models now requires distributing workloads across multiple data centers, a shift that turns networking from simple transport into a core compute component. Traditional inter‑datacenter links cannot handle the synchronous, low‑loss GPU traffic needed; instead, Cisco’s Silicon One architecture and Intelligent Collective Networking use high‑speed coherent optics, buffering, and integrated silicon to coordinate bursts, reduce bottlenecks, and improve job completion. Power efficiency, security (MACsec/IPsec), and programmability are also [...]

Amazon Web Services announced it has stopped using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies to gain approval for new data centers. CEO Matt Garman explained the move amid a backlash over data center transparency, citing over 100 moratoriums in the U.S. and New York’s one‑year pause. He countered myths about water use, electricity costs, pollution, and community benefits, noting Amazon’s data centers consume 0.5% of industrial water and that the company has donated more than $1 billion to local communities. [...]

Everpure Accelerate London convened at the historic Tobacco Dock on 30 September 2026, drawing a mix of Everpure staff, partners, consultants and technology enthusiasts. The event highlighted the venue’s transformation from a 19th‑century bonded warehouse—originally designed by prison architect Daniel Asher Alexander to protect moisture‑sensitive tobacco—to a modern tech hub. Attendees gathered in the open‑air courtyard beneath the dock’s half‑glazed, cantilevered roof, where Everpure showcased its latest AI‑driven data‑center solutions aimed at optimizing environmental controls and energy use. Organisers [...]