Tesla founder Elon Musk's AI venture, xAI, has ignited a fresh environmental debate after announcing plans to utilize gas turbines to power its "Colossus" supercomputer in Memphis. According to reports, the facility's annual emissions of hazardous air pollutants have surpassed the limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, impacting approximately 22,000 residents in the vicinity. Environmental advocacy groups have lambasted xAI for activating the gas turbines without prior notice to the public and regulatory bodies, exacerbating air quality issues in Memphis. The tension between xAI and local environmental organizations stretches back, with the Southern Environmental Law Center having queried the use of gas turbines without an air permit last year. Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division has disclosed that xAI's plan to enhance computing capacity necessitates an additional 150MW of electricity, and the implications on the local power grid are currently under evaluation. Amidst the AI boom, which is fueling an increase in electricity demand, gas-fired power generation has emerged as a new option for data centers in the United States.