Indiana mayor secretly recorded saying AI data center protestors only live in 'sh***y' houses — office issues statement of clarification over controversial comments

The mayor of Shelbyville, Indiana, was recorded making derogatory comments about community members protesting an AI data center project, sparking controversy. The mayor's office issued a statement clarifying his remarks, stating they were about property maintenance, not the residents' character. The proposed billion-dollar data center project in Shelbyville has faced opposition from over 2,000 people, with concerns about utility prices and water quality linked to such developments. The debates around data centers have escalated, with some politicians facing backlash and even violent incidents, raising fears of potential extremist actions or surveillance against AI data centers.