100% of electricity used for GPU/CPU is converted to heat. Why not use it for district heating next to cold cities (MidWest of North America, Europe)? Use it for desalination plants in middle east?
Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
311–320 of 327 posts
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#312Earlier quoted context omitted.
You're putting words in my mouth. Don't. The government has the kind of power needed to rein in all of these privacy issues by regulating big tech. It will be difficult, but more difficult things have been achieved in our lifetime. Join the EFF. Contact your congress people. What I'm actually saying is the anti-DC people are trying to solve a societal level problem only peripherally related to the thing they are tryi…
Isnt comgress partizan locked and powerless? All power is in president.
Even so! That problem is more solvable than expecting to fight the surveillance state by shutting down data center buildouts.
It is worth noting that the president is deathly afraid of the problem of him having all the power getting solved this midterm.
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#313Earlier quoted context omitted.
You definitely do not want a sewage treatment plant in your backyard. But hey, you got a cheaper home price so that the rich guys can pump their crap to your backyard from miles away.
You also really don't want ideological NIMBYs protesting against sewage treatment plant construction and claiming that sewage treatment plants are something that only benefit the wealthy.
They benefit everyone but I have never seen one in a rich neighborhood. So the rich are exercising NIMBY.
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#314Earlier quoted context omitted.
the US is a republic of states. By design it wastes time and money to allow disagreement, variety, and self-determination of states. > they'll just build it somewhere else Why should we have rights to say they cannot do it somewhere else? It's not a moral issue, it's a tragedy of commons issue or unpriced externality issue.
My point is the town has three options: 1) allow the build 2) develop a set of regulations to ensure the datacenter is a "good neighbor" 3) block the build 2 & 3 have the exact same effect
> 2 & 3 have the exact same effect
On the datacenter builder, maybe.
But on enacting freedom as a public value and good, no they're not the same.
And on ensuring the next "Datacenter"-like thing is fairly and equally treated? no they're not the same.
2 is superior because it sets the standards and rules for the game, and allows anyone willing to comply to play.
3. Means we have to make the decision over and over, and scratching the back of the decider might mean a favorable outcome for the next builder etc.
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#315And the owner class has already trotted out the old Red Scare “If you don’t like datacenters, you’re just doing what China wants” bullshit has a defense.
I mean it's absolutely true that China is loving the American AI backlash and is fueling it.
How purposely they are doing this is unclear, but they have the motive and means.
Let your biggest rival shoot themselves in the foot over the most important technology potentially ever, is a great strategy.
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#316Earlier quoted context omitted.
[flagged]
Hacker News guidelines: "Be kind. Don't be snarky. Converse curiously; don't cross-examine. Edit out swipes. Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive. When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3.""
Where's the guidelines about misinforming people which has actual societal implications? Where are the guidelines for openly promoting products that harm people's mental and social health?
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#317Earlier quoted context omitted.
When you're outside you're not inside the walls of a data center.
And not all of the noise is generated inside the datacenter, especially those with onsite turbines.
> How much noise do you imagine comes from a data center that isn't operating a gas turbine?
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#318Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hacker News guidelines: "Be kind. Don't be snarky. Converse curiously; don't cross-examine. Edit out swipes. Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive. When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3.""
Where's the guidelines about misinforming people which has actual societal implications? Where are the guidelines for openly promoting products that harm people's mental and social health?
You can view the guidelines here, at https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
I don't think you need to attack someone personally, even if you believe they are promoting products that harm people's mental and social health. For most of us following along, it will be enough if you dismantle their arguments. What good does it do for you to harangue them?
I think this guideline: "Assume good faith", applies not just to the people we disagree with, but also the other readers -- meaning, that you can trust that other readers are interested in learning and seeing things correctly.
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#319Earlier quoted context omitted.
Where's the guidelines about misinforming people which has actual societal implications? Where are the guidelines for openly promoting products that harm people's mental and social health?
You can view the guidelines here, at https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html I don't think you need to attack someone personally, even if you believe they are promoting products that harm people's mental and social health. For most of us following along, it will be enough if you dismantle their arguments. What good does it do for you to harangue them? I think this guideline: "Assume good faith", applies not…
Love your last point!
Re: Most Americans say "not in my backyard" to AI data centers
#320Earlier quoted context omitted.
The UK is surrounded by a planet-spanning body of water. It has no excuse to be complaining about water shortages even if every square inch of it was a single giant datacenter.
Removing salt from ocean water is costly.
The UK can surely afford it. If not, then surely they can require the datacenters themselves to foot the bill.