Patriot Zero

Seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local area, including nearly half, 48%, who are strongly opposed.

Data centers are generating trillions of dollars in value for the economy. Data centers don’t consume water, they return it to the environment. Data centers lower household energy costs by producing their own electricity and generating stable demand that reduces operating costs for the grid. Data centers create jobs for construction workers, electricians, and other skilled workers year round, all across the country. Data centers data centers pay billions in state and local taxes without using public services, meaning more resources for the rest of us. Data centers power every part of the digital economy in ways most people don’t even know, even enabling things as mundane as stocking products at grocery stores. Data centers are driving the AI revolution that will keep America ahead of China and enable universal high income for everyone.

The topic of AI data centers is interesting. I have generally avoided it because (a) it’s not a topic I have spent a lot of time looking into, and (b) it starts ridiculously heated arguments that I don’t feel like engaging in. From a layman’s POV, I think that there is a lot of hysteria about them that is completely unwarranted. While AI could wipe out a lot of jobs, it will likely create a more just as technological innovation always has. That’s progress. And, as for the water being used to cool them down, well, it’s recycled. Water doesn’t just vanish. Conservation of energy; it’s just physics. That being said, there are legitimate concerns about AI, particularly with respect to data centers. Wherever they are being built, locals overwhelmingly oppose them regardless of their political ideology or party affiliation. These data centers are huge, ugly, and take up vast amounts of land that could otherwise be used for agriculture or preserved for wildlife. In some places like Georgia, the threat of eminent domain is being used. That is a direct violation of property rights. Also, I am a land conservationist. Caring for the environment used to be a conservative cause. “Conserve” is in the very name. The big justification for this AI race is that we need to compete with China. But for what exactly? What is the ultimate goal? What is the net benefit of getting into a pissing contest on AI? What exactly are these AI data centers being used for? Surveillance? Improving medical treatments? Gathering data for some project or research? I am not an apocalyptic fear mongerer, but these are legitimate questions that need answering without the aggressive tech bro incels getting defensive.

Which TV performance deserved way more awards recognition?

Marcus Hutchins, the guy famous for stopping the WannaCry Ransomware, probably has the best take on Mythos doing vulnerability research