Air pollution in Texas could return to levels not seen since the 2000s. The cause: a rush of new data centers. The state has become ground zero for the physical infrastructure behind generative AI. These facilities demand a tremendous amount of electricity. How developers and utilities meet that demand will determine just how dirty things get. Gas turbines or renewable energy? The choice matters. So far, things are looking grim. Tech companies and data center developers are devising new ways to get enough electricity. Some are building out their own power sources. If all planned data center projects were to plug in, the impact would be significant.