Data Centers Creep into Rural America

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

We don’t believe in subsidizing billion-dollar corporations to build rural data centers.

Developers are treating this like a modern gold rush – and just like back in the Old West, we’re often left with more fantasy than reality.

More and more, huge tech companies are turning to rural America – and our water and land resources – to build massive data center projects. And they’re getting huge tax breaks to do it.

Data center campuses are popping up everywhere – more than 4,000 in the U.S. so far – and they’re threatening to gobble up vast amounts of land, water, electricity, and other natural resources. At least 67% of planned or operation AI data centers have been cited in rural areas. That percentage is likely to climb even higher in the next few years.

https://onecountryproject.substack.com/p/data-centers-creep-into-rural-america

[wcmagumba]

1. I don't understand the need or purpose of these huge "data" centers. Are they to increase gov monitoring of the public?

[sakabatou]

2. Very likely

[patphil]

3. Can you imagine what could be done if even half those data centers were hospitals, schools, or affordable housing?

We don't need 4000 data centers sucking up all the resources from the surrounding area.
We got along without them in the past, we can do without them now and going forward for the foreseeable future.
These things don't help people, they're just profit centers for tech boys and the ultra rich.
If I had to choose between AI projects and people projects....there's no doubt I choose people every time.

[highplainsdem]

8. This genAI bubble has caused a catastrophic loss of resources, in addition to all the direct harm done

by genAI. So much money and intelligence squandered.

[Aristus]

4. Maybe that will take the starch out of rural America.

Red-state morons who think big business can do no wrong, and so vote for the pro-business, anti-people politicians.

Let them deal with water shortages and water pollution. Maybe that will cool their hatred of environmentalism.

[Jacson6]

5. Local County Politicos need to use it for their advantage.

They could make an agreement that the Data Center owner must provide free Internet in the county it is located in. Or maybe free Internet for everyone that is below the Federal Poverty line?

I received Internet for $10 per month for years when AT&T bought out another local provider.


Just a thought.

[OGBuzz]

6. Feeding the monster that will eventually destroy us all, just ask Musk. Maybe humans aren't all that intelligent

after all. But hey, at least we get to choose between the millions of A.I. videos that are all over the internet. How did we ever manage to survive before all this wonderful technology?

[highplainsdem]

7. These data centers are being built because of generative AI, not the truly useful non-generative Ai

that's the type most often used in science and medicine.

So these are for AI slop, AI search that's often wrong, AI enabled cheating that's destroying education.

It's for surveillance that will often make mistakes.

It's for an AI race and a financial bubble.

It's for oligarchs dreaming of ruling the world if they can create superintelligent AI.

It's for authoritarians who want more information on people, the better to control and manipulate them.

It's for advertisers who also want more info to manipulate people.

It's for CEOs dreaming of firing most of their employees.

[Prairie Gates]

9. If the DNC doesn't have campaign workers in every effected community

educating people about how the GOP is fucking them, then we don't deserve to govern. Seriously, this is the wedge to win back rural America. Be on it, or accept generational GOP hegemony.

[newdeal2]

10. Not just rural voters. These data centers are a suburban problem too

They are building them right in the middle of neighborhoods.

The other issue is AI job loss and other scary shit (deep fakes and other security issues).

Yes, Dems should be making a big deal out of this AND gas prices. Easy issues to win on.