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Elon Musk says he is taking over an old Spam factory and a gun range to expand his Colossus 2 AI complex
Yahoo Finance UK • • business
Key Points:
- Elon Musk is expanding the Colossus 2 AI-computing facility in Tennessee with two new sites named Spam and Gun Range, expected to be operational by the end of 2023.
- The Spam site previously housed Hormel products, while the Gun Range location was formerly owned by the local police department.
- Colossus 2 is part of Musk's effort to power AI systems, including the xAI chatbot Grok, requiring massive compute power and leading to the construction of supercomputers in Memphis since 2024.
- The expansion has faced community opposition, including protests and petitions, due to concerns over the environmental and social impact of the large data centers.
- The NAACP filed a lawsuit against xAI and its subsidiary for allegedly operating unpermitted methane gas turbines to power Colossus 2, and a judge recently denied the companies' motion to dismiss the case.
