Microsoft Warns Investors About Local Opposition to Data Centers

Microsoft Corp. is warning investors about a new risk to its expansive data center plans: local backlash.

“We also face community opposition, local moratoriums and hyper-local dissent that may impede or delay infrastructure development,” the world’s largest software maker wrote in an earnings report filing Wednesday. It was disclosed under operational risks.

Alongside peers such as Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Microsoft has embarked on a massive build-out of server farm infrastructure to support its cloud computing and artificial intelligence businesses. The company spent almost $35 billion in its most recent quarter on capital expenditures including leases, ...