As you walk toward the Mississippi River in the evening, there are times when the southwestern sky feels a bit brighter than before. It might just be a feeling, but it's clear that the name xAI has been coming up frequently in conversations around here lately.

It has been over two years since Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, established its supercomputer Colossus here. Today, we will calmly examine how many jobs this massive facility has actually created in the local area, based solely on confirmed numbers.

It all started in June 2024. The Greater Memphis Chamber announced the attraction of xAI's Colossus, with an old factory building on South Memphis Tullahoma Road serving as the venue.

The construction was completed in just 122 days, and the facility officially began operations in December of the same year. It was an astonishing speed.

At that time, the Chamber stated that up to 500 high-quality, well-paying jobs would be created in the initial phase. xAI indicated that it would expand to 320 positions in the first phase, which was explained as permanent jobs rather than construction jobs.

However, the first few months fell short of expectations. In early January 2025, there were about 20 job postings for Memphis on the xAI hiring page, of which 11 were for data center operations.

The rest were in security, human resources, and engineering. This was far from a large-scale hiring.

The atmosphere changed this year. Around February, news spread through tech media and social media that xAI was hiring nearly 3,000 people in the Memphis area.

However, there is a caution to consider when interpreting this number. The mentioned job categories included electricians, engineers, culinary staff, and construction workers.

This means that the number should be viewed as a mix of not only the permanent data center staff but also construction site and support personnel. It is difficult to verify how many are directly employed versus subcontracted based on publicly available data.

Another point to note is that an independent investigative outlet tracked identifiable xAI employees in Memphis and found that more than half were from other regions.

There has been ongoing criticism regarding the lack of a commitment to prioritize hiring residents of Southwest Memphis. This suggests that while jobs have been created, it is a different story whether local residents are securing those jobs.

That said, the numbers are not meaningless. Technical positions such as electricians, plumbers, and cooling system technicians are roles that local workers can actually fill, and demand will continue as construction progresses.

We cannot overlook the tax implications either. According to Shelby County trustee records, xAI paid $12,512,756 in property taxes for 2025.

In a report presented to the county commission in March, it was projected that when the second data center in Whitehaven becomes taxable, property taxes could rise to nearly $28 million. This represents a 122 percent increase based solely on the county's share.

The expansion has crossed state lines. In January of this year, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that xAI would build a data center in Southaven worth over $20 billion. This is said to be the largest corporate investment in Mississippi's history.

This facility, utilizing an 810,000 square foot warehouse on State Line Road, was initially reported to employ 145 people. The governor stated that when including subcontracted and indirect employment, the number would easily exceed 1,000.

Here, too, we need to distinguish the nature of the numbers. The 145 direct hires at the facility and the more than 1,000 jobs created through ripple effects should not be interpreted as having the same weight.

Meanwhile, environmental issues remain a shadow. Lawsuits and permit challenges regarding gas turbine emissions have arisen in both Tennessee and Mississippi, and there is considerable local opposition.

In this regard, I want to hold a scale rather than take sides. While tax revenue and jobs are certainly accumulating in numbers, air quality and resident health cannot be easily quantified.

So, what should those looking for jobs in this area consider? First, checking the official xAI hiring page and job sites like Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter for Memphis job postings is the most accurate approach.

As of September, there were 14 job postings related to xAI in Memphis on Glassdoor. Positions mainly included data center technical roles, electrical installations, and facility management.

If you have experience in electrical work, it would be wise to ensure you have a Tennessee state license and records of industrial safety training. Since there are many on-site hires through subcontractors, it is also advisable to look at postings from large electrical contracting companies.

From the perspective of the Korean community, the surrounding demand may feel more tangible than direct hiring. There are frequent discussions about how the influx of construction workers increases demand for services like lodging, dining, laundry, and auto repair.

However, it is also important to keep in mind that such effects may diminish once the construction phase is complete. Data centers require a lot of manpower during construction, but once built, they often operate with fewer staff than expected.

In summary, the initial promise was for 320 to 500 permanent jobs, and this year, nearly 3,000 hires are being discussed, including construction and support personnel.

How to interpret the gap in between is up to each individual. In my opinion, the proportion of outside workers and the scale of permanent positions should be transparently disclosed to properly assess these numbers.

Just as soul music was born in this city and spread to the world, new industries must ultimately take root in the lives of the people here to hold meaning. Personally, I would first look at the work locations and qualifications in the next job postings rather than the flashy announcement numbers.