AI infrastructure depends on community trust

The future of AI infrastructure depends on earning community trust

Data centre growth is accelerating, but community concerns are reshaping the path to delivery

17 August 2026

The future of AI infrastructure growth may depend on how well projects earn and maintain community trust.

In this video, Nick Pohl (Executive General Manager - Advisory, GHD) explains why social licence is becoming an increasingly important consideration for data centre investors and developers. As projects grow in size and scale, he explores how community concerns around power, land, noise, sustainability and employment can influence project timelines, investment decisions and long-term outcomes.

Short, sharp points of view on:

  • why social licence matters to the future of AI infrastructure delivery
  • why moving from no net harm to net community benefit may help projects earn trust

 

Watch the video to learn why community benefit may be central to the next phase of data centre delivery.

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