Michigan is racing toward the data center boom that powers artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Lawmakers have approved generous tax breaks, and utilities are courting multi-billion-dollar projects, including a proposed $7 billion “hyperscale” campus in rural Saline Township, backed by tech giants OpenAI and Oracle. 

Supporters promise investment and new tax revenue. But critics warn that these vast, windowless buildings could come with higher electric bills, heavy demands on local water supplies, and pressure to keep fossil fuel plants running long past Michigan’s clean energy deadlines. 

So who really pays for Michigan’s data-center gold rush, and who gets to decide?

Brian Allnutt, a senior reporter and contributing editor at Planet Detroit, has been following Michigan’s data center deals from the state capitol to township board meetings and courtroom settlements. He joined Robyn Vincent to help make sense of the choices Michigan faces.

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If you listen to music on Spotify, you’ve probably come across AI-generated tracks—like the AI band VELVET SUNDOWN. But what you may not have noticed is that AI imposter songs are being uploaded to real artists’ pages—including one belonging to a country songwriter who was murdered in 1989, long before music streaming even existed.

Emanuel Maiberg, journalist and co-founder of 404 Media, recently published a story called “Spotify Publishes AI-Generated Songs From Dead Artists Without Permission”. He spoke with The Metro’s David Leins about how these AI imposters are showing up on Spotify—and what artificial intelligence is doing to reshape media and culture.

Jeremy Peters, Professor of Music Business at Wayne State University, also joins The Metro to talk about the lasting impact AI could have on the very culture of music.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

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