Photo: Paul Sakuma ~ AP
PODCAST
September 28, 2026 ~ Oracle Vice President Beatrice Fullan joins Ryan to discuss what’s considered to be the positives of AI data centers as the news continues to center around the negative consequences.
SALINE, Mich. ~ Oracle’s planned Barn data center campus in Saline is expected to bring investment, jobs and economic opportunities to Michigan while supporting growing demand for artificial intelligence technology. Company officials said the project could help power AI applications in industries including health care, agriculture and transportation.
The company also addressed concerns about the facility’s impact on local resources and infrastructure. Officials said the data center will use a closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling system that requires a one-time water fill for operations, while Oracle plans to pay its own electricity costs and invest in infrastructure improvements, including reliability upgrades and emissions-free battery storage.
“This is a big change from a technology standpoint, but also as a society,” said Beatrice Fullen, Oracle’s vice president of community engagement. “I hope that we can continue this dialogue and have an open discussion about how these AI projects can help us cure diseases, advance the things that we need as a species.”
