BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh University is looking to transform how communities adapt to artificial intelligence data centers in the future.

An event Friday featured a panel of state and local leaders and university staff. It is only the beginning of a much larger discussion. 

It’s all part of the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions at Lehigh University, better known as ACES. The group is focused on improving community electricity and energy efficiency through AI data centers.

Organizers are asking a big question: how do they come up with solutions to make energy more efficient, affordable, and resilient?

The group ACES is aiming to break down technology and policy gaps, better understand them, and find solutions to ensure that data centers are both energy and water efficient without straining our local resources.

Discussions involve pros and cons of data centers in the Lehigh Valley.

Organizers say they will require a lot of electricity and water use which, for the regular residential users, could result in higher prices and limited resources all around.

That’s why organizers say we need policy and technology solutions to avoid potential issues.

The panel also discussed the huge growth in AI, saying it’s everywhere and in fact it’s part of our everyday lives.

Looking at the years ahead, the mission is for Friday’s discussion to continue.

ACES leaders want to collaborate with other officials and stakeholders to develop solutions that balance economic benefits with resource conservation.

Lehigh University professors say they hope they can continue to serve in a leading role of these discussions and work with the community to make this happen in an efficient way.