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Data centers trigger voter backlash

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Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#111

Post by xvedejas »

collabs wrote: post #78
xvedejas wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't most new capacity solar these days?

That we know of? Do you trust these tech bros to be truthful? > Just south of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line sits dozens of unpermitted gas turbines that power xAI’s Colossus 2 data center while releasing smog-forming pollution, soot, and hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde. The tech company set up the de facto power plant with no permits, no public input, and no notice to nearby communities that will have to…

Sounds like a slam-dunk case for SELC?

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#112

Post by rvz »

AI is hated far more than crypto.

No other technology gets as much hatred as AI is getting as the public see that as a threat to their own jobs.

Of course techies here are having trouble understanding this backlash. Maybe they should read up a bit on the Unabomber Manifesto to draw parallels on the motivations of the awful attacks against CEOs recently.

Just like crypto, you cannot use it to solve social problems with technical solutions. The same goes for AI as it still requires humans and trust to use it effectively.

The more AI data centers get built, the more it is hated and the worse society gets with this loss of trust as more people read about more mass layoffs.

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#113

Post by [deleted] »

kentm wrote: post #106
godwinson__4-8 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is fair but I mean as long as people are agitating politically it seems like going after the data center is going after the wrong end of the equation, with similarly difficult odds of success. If you are trying to take on the hyperscalers why not push for UBI vs trying to stop the buildout? Is the former really that much more difficult than the latter? Is it even good policy beyond not wanting something in your…

> This is fair but I mean as long as people are agitating politically it seems like going after the data center is going after the wrong end of the equation, with similarly difficult odds of success. I don't see why you think that. Its something that: 1) These CEOs and people with power want 2) The populace has some degree of control over, since its local politics vs national. That makes it an attractive way to push…

[deleted]

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#115

Post by godwinson__4-8 »

kentm wrote: post #106
godwinson__4-8 wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is fair but I mean as long as people are agitating politically it seems like going after the data center is going after the wrong end of the equation, with similarly difficult odds of success. If you are trying to take on the hyperscalers why not push for UBI vs trying to stop the buildout? Is the former really that much more difficult than the latter? Is it even good policy beyond not wanting something in your…

> This is fair but I mean as long as people are agitating politically it seems like going after the data center is going after the wrong end of the equation, with similarly difficult odds of success. I don't see why you think that. Its something that: 1) These CEOs and people with power want 2) The populace has some degree of control over, since its local politics vs national. That makes it an attractive way to push…

This doesn't make sense. The reason Congress is difficult is because of those same powerful people. A world in which you can actually stop the buildout is a world in which lobbying Congress is much easier.

You have control over who you vote for. Congress is not elected nationally. Sorry I just don't see how your points make sense. You might have better success of pushing the data centers off to your neighbor. But this doesn't stop the buildout, it only gives certain neighborhoods temporary protection while economic conditions for most continue to deteriorate. Aka a false sense of security and therefore a bad idea.

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#116

Post by colechristensen »

thewillowcat wrote: post #93

I can tell you, based on local examples, that politicians are setting up deals to bring in data centers without trying to build community support first. Not only that, they are often signing NDAs that prohibit them from telling voters what they have agreed to. It's no way to operate in a democracy, and voters are right to be angry.

[flagged]

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#117

Post by simianwords »

munificent wrote: post #37

It's not really about AI, data centers, water consumption, or energy. Those are real issues. But I don't think that's what gets people so riled up. Imagine if every AI company was a small local business run by middle class folks and there were thousands of these little companies. The total amount of data centers, water, and energy consumption is the same. I don't think people would be anywhere near as mad then. There…

> The rage that Luigi Mangione felt

Luigi is an interesting case because he is not who you think he is. He is definitely not a luddite or populist. I know this because I read a social deep dive on him. His interests, the books he read, the accounts he followed all point to a level of sophistication that indicates he was well above the simplistic "us vs them" Marxist framework.

I also disagree with your overall point here: its not (just) about inequality. AI benefits everyone while also benefitting the billionaires - even disproportionately. What one should definitely acknowledge is that AI is raising the floor and is not _taking_ something from poor people and giving it to the billionaires which is again applying the Marxist framework. What is true is that, even if people are overall benefitting from AI, they are feeling powerless and sense a lack of agency where they see a big societal change happening in front of their eyes and they don't have any say in it. Having no say is kinda the default so you see the backlash from the educated elites who always thought they had a voice - until the AI technology boom came.

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#118

Post by TSiege »

socalgal2 wrote: post #99

I know I’ll get downvoted into oblivion but I can’t help but think data center and ai backlash manufactured or is a psi-ops campaign by Russia or China It doesn’t make any sense to me as the externalities are future not current and at no other point in time has the public cared about the future without first seeing concrete examples of harm. That hasn’t happened yet for data centers nor AI. It’s all “if, maybe, somet…

Almost every major issue has bot networks from hostile countries playing both sides of any issue to intentionally cause chaos. I completely agree that russia, china, or some other country is fomenting anger here.

That and the other issues aside, I think AI companies have done this to themselves. They've gone around talking about replacing all human labor and becoming the companies that control robot god's that swallow the entire economy and put everyone out of work and might destroy man kind. Well saying that is gonna make people hate them and that will find an outlet somewhere

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#119

Post by e40 »

yardie wrote: post #6

A few months ago the founders of the top AI companies walked into Capitol Hill. Tried to explain to a room full of elected representatives exactly how their technology was going to put almost half the working population into under/unemployment and they should consider UBI [0]. Then they went back to the airport, got on their corporate jets, and went home secure in the knowledge that they really showed them. That they…

Construction jobs, yes. After that, a skeleton crew and a bunch of people in far off places, possibly outside the country.

Re: Data centers trigger voter backlash

#120

Post by mrtesthah »

colechristensen wrote: post #116
thewillowcat wrote: post #93

I can tell you, based on local examples, that politicians are setting up deals to bring in data centers without trying to build community support first. Not only that, they are often signing NDAs that prohibit them from telling voters what they have agreed to. It's no way to operate in a democracy, and voters are right to be angry.

[flagged]

Is it really a matter of "national security" when the technology at hand is being used in a way that unilaterally benefits a small class of oligarchs at the expense of the rest of society? That's not really in the benefit of the nation anymore, is it?
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