The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically increased global demand for data center infrastructure, turning these facilities into one of the most critical and energy-intensive pillars of the digital economy. Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT require substantial computational capacity, including high-performance GPUs and advanced cooling systems, which significantly increase electricity consumption, water use, and overall environmental impact. Yet, despite the scale of this transformation, we still know little about how environmental and economic factors jointly influence where AI data centers are actually built. Understanding these dynamics is essential if we aim to develop AI in a way that is, not only, technologically advanced but also environmentally responsible.