A University Student Built a Map Tracking AI Regulation Worldwide

Isabelle Reksopuro, an Indonesian-American student at the University of Washington studying technology policy, has built an interactive map that tracks how different countries and regions are regulating AI and data centers. The map pulls together policy information from Epoch AI alongside data on data center laws, creating what looks to be the first visual tool of its kind for seeing where and how governments are governing AI infrastructure.

The project started when Reksopuro was investigating reports that Google was buying public land to power data centers in Oregon. That research snowballed into a bigger question: how are jurisdictions around the world handling the regulatory challenge of AI infrastructure expanding rapidly.

Why Google's Oregon Data Centers Matter

Google's presence in Oregon shows the kind of infrastructure story that Reksopuro's map is trying to make visible. The company opened its first data center it owned and ran in The Dalles, Oregon in 2006, built right next to the Columbia River. The location was chosen for good reason: cheap hydroelectric power and natural cooling from the river's water—both crucial for keeping data centers running efficiently.

Google has since invested more than $2.4 billion in Oregon, with $1.8 billion going specifically to new data centers in The Dalles. Today there are three active facilities in the area, with a fourth under construction. The third facility opened in February and added 200 jobs to the region.

This expansion had real technical payoffs: newer infrastructure improvements cut response times for Pacific Northwest customers by up to 80 percent. Google also won ISO 50001 certification—a global standard for energy management—at The Dalles facility and signed agreements to buy 1 gigawatt of power that can be shifted on demand, helping local utility companies balance the power grid during peak usage.

Beyond building its own facilities, Google has donated money to Oregon State University's Open Source Lab to upgrade its data center equipment, spreading the benefits further across the technical community.

The Policy Puzzle

Google's operations in Oregon highlight a tension that Reksopuro's map brings into focus. Data center investment brings jobs and tax revenue to places like Wasco County, Oregon, but it also raises questions about who controls land use, how much tax companies should pay, and how to balance growth with protecting the environment.

These same questions are surfacing everywhere as AI booms and demand for computing power explodes. Governments are caught between two pressures: attracting investment and jobs on one hand, and managing the very real costs in water, power, and land on the other.

The broader context here is worth stepping back to see. We have watched similar dynamics play out before—railroad expansion in the 1800s, telecommunications networks in the 1990s. Each wave created tension between companies investing their own money and communities trying to protect shared resources. What is different now is how fast it is happening and how directly the location of a data center affects whether an AI company can compete globally.

Reksopuro's map lets policymakers and researchers see the full picture. Some regions are imposing strict environmental reviews and limits on resource use. Others are offering tax breaks and faster permitting to lure data center investment. By putting all of this on one map, it becomes easier to see which strategies other places are using and think about trade-offs.

How the Map Works

The interactive map combines two data sources. It uses Epoch AI's database of AI policies across countries and regions, then adds legislative information scraped from government databases specifically about data center rules.

This two-pronged approach solves a real problem in tracking AI governance: regulations are scattered across different areas. Data center rules might sit in zoning laws, environmental codes, or energy policy—all separate from AI-specific rules. Reksopuro's map connects those dots geographically, so you can see how all these regulations interact in one place.

For regions thinking through their own AI policies, the map serves as a reference—a way to see what other places are doing and learn from their choices.

Why This Matters Now

Data center capacity is becoming a bottleneck for AI development. Major cloud companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are competing hard to secure power, cooling systems, and political support for new facilities. As demand grows, geography starts to determine which regions can actually build and run AI systems at scale.

Reksopuro's map makes this connection between policy and power visible. Places with strict data center rules might get left out of AI buildouts. Places that welcome data centers may face strains on water, power, and infrastructure as demand scales up.

If you work in infrastructure planning or cloud architecture, the map offers something useful: a clearer picture of the regulatory risk in different regions before you commit to hosting AI workloads there. As AI spreads globally and companies have to choose where to run their systems, understanding the policy environment matters as much as the technical specs.

The project also shows something broader: individual researchers working with open data and basic web tools can contribute meaningfully to policy transparency. As governments keep developing new AI rules and regulations, maps and tools like this one may become essential for staying current with the regulatory landscape that shapes where technology actually gets built and deployed.