Judge allows NAACP lawsuit over xAI data center pollution to move forward

A federal judge has allowed an NAACP lawsuit against xAI, a SpaceX-owned AI company, to proceed, denying the company's motion to dismiss. The lawsuit accuses xAI of violating the Clean Air Act by operating a data center in Memphis without necessary permits. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs have standing to sue and that the turbines powering the data center are not exempt from permitting requirements. The NAACP's director of environmental and climate justice called the decision 'another important victory' in their effort to hold xAI accountable. This is the second time a motion to dismiss has been denied, with a similar motion from the Department of Justice having been denied earlier this month.