The NAACP is continuing its advocacy efforts against xAI and its subsidiary, MZX Tech, following news of a partnership involving the Colossus 1 data center near Memphis, TN, and Southaven, MS.
On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, xAI announced that Anthropic had signed an agreement to access Colossus 1, the massive AI supercomputer developed by Elon Musk’s company, which features over 220,000 NVIDIA GPUs. Anthropic said the added computer power will help improve capacity for Claude Pro and Claude Max subscribers.
In a statement shared with AFROTECH™, Abre’ Conner, the NAACP’s director of Environmental and Climate Justice, said the deal sends a clear message about “who any company that disregards the obvious environmental and health concerns of Black communities to supposedly power a future that will help us all” is truly serving.
“Black and other frontline communities have demanded not to be treated as sacrifice zones for a digital future that perpetuates the harms of the past,” Conner added. “Anthropic’s use of a data center that pollutes a historically Black community is, at best, an uninformed decision, and at worst, a total disregard for the community’s wishes and health. As we have done since xAI forced its way into Memphis, we will continue to stand with the communities most impacted by these decisions.”
NAACP Files Lawsuit Against xAI Over Health Concerns
Also on Wednesday, the NAACP filed a request for a preliminary injunction seeking to halt what it described as “unpermitted air pollution” from a Southaven, MS, power plant built by xAI and MZX Tech, according to a press release.
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the organization filed a lawsuit against the entities on April 14, 2026, over the alleged unlawful operation of dozens of methane gas turbines powering the company’s Colossus 2 data center, which powers the company’s chatbot, Grok.
According to the lawsuit, the turbines emit pollutants linked to asthma, respiratory diseases, heart problems, and certain cancers.
The NAACP argues that xAI’s failure to obtain proper permits for the facility violates the Clean Air Act, which requires major pollution sources to secure permits before construction or operation. The organization says the operation poses health risks not only to Southaven residents but also to families in North Mississippi and the Memphis area.
The NAACP wants the court to find xAI in violation of the Clean Air Act, stop its turbine use, mandate pollution-control technology, and impose daily penalties.
“A data center should not be a potential death sentence for a community’s health. By looking to evade clear air laws to operate dirty turbines that emit pollution and known carcinogens, these companies are following a shameful, familiar pattern: asking Black and frontline communities to bear the toxic brunt of ‘innovation,’” Conner said, per the press release. “As we shared since xAI started operating in Memphis, our homes, churches, and playgrounds will not be sacrifice zones for Big Tech’s convenience…Our right to clean air is not up for negotiation, especially when companies prove expediency, not people is their priority.”
