Recent research from the University of Cambridge reveals that AI data centers contribute to significant heat increases in surrounding areas, with temperature lifts extending up to 10 kilometers away. The study, currently under pre-review, identified increases in land surface temperatures ranging between 0.3°C and 9.1°C due to server farms, averaging between 1.5°C and 2.4°C. Such heat effects compare to urban heat islands, impacting regions comparable to small cities. As the data center industry expands, its electricity demand could outpace that of manufacturing within a few years. High-capacity deployments by hyper-scale data centers, driven by the AI boom, have seen infrastructure spending triple, contributing to a resurgence in reliance on traditional energy sources like coal. Additionally, advancements in technology may curb the impact of these heat islands through enhanced energy efficiency. Reflecting on the potential for emissions growth and related environmental concerns, researchers stress the importance of designing data centers with climate impact in mind.