Judge says xAI must face NAACP lawsuit on data center pollution

The legal battle revolves around the AI company’s operations in southern Memphis.

By Jackson Chen Nov. 1, 2026 2:19 pm EST harhar38/Shutterstock Add Engadget on Google: Google Discover

A federal judge's latest ruling has denied xAI's request to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges its data center campus in Memphis, Tennessee is running turbines without proper permits and violating the Clean Air Act. The decision, from US District Judge Debra M. Brown, allows the lawsuit, which was filed by the NAACP, to move forward.