Can we get real about the topic of “data centers?” I hear the sky is falling (for real this time), but who actually thinks there’s a viable plan to stop them from being built?
I don’t, and I think we’d better scale down to some smaller hills to die on, cultural issues we could get our arms around and have a chance of making an impact.
First off, do we get a vote for or against data centers? I haven’t heard anything about that. Out here in rural Texas we have a hard time getting people to run for city council, much less organize a grassroots opposition to data centers, which, evidently are already in the works.
But they say, “It’ll be a strain on our infrastructure!” and, “What if we don’t like worker housing camps in our midst?”
Valid points, since in our community, infrastructure is dicey, hard to get reliable water systems out to everybody’s house right now. But in the grander scheme of data centers, I bet stuff like electricity and water will get handled.
We’ll have to live with the plan - but it might eventually turn out to be better.
It’s all in the name of “progress,” like the railroads two hundred years ago. And it sounds like big brother has already greased the skids on how the data center deal is going to work.
For example, look at the last few years, it now seems ages ago when the AI train left the station. That train barreled through 4g, 5g, Siri, Alexa, Grok, you name it.
Along the way it’s picked up a robot dog—guard or pet version, administrative assistants already writing the articles and research papers, producers making ads and movies with AI versions of any actor, politician or public figure that’s ever lived.
But if you have a problem with all that, there’s an AI therapist available to talk things over with, and then a “friend” designed just for you. It’ll adapt to you if you’ve become quirky and no one likes you because you now don’t have any people skills.
For seniors, if we can afford it, there’ll be a companion —maybe a better version of a deceased spouse with all the annoying features ironed out.
Then when we’ve just had enough of all of it, Canada will have exported those soothing glass caskets they put in the woods where you lie down, listen to music and press the button when you’re ready to go.
But that’s just my take on the upcoming data centers. If there are other outlooks (surely there are better outlooks), bandwagons to jump on, let me know.
If those bandwagons involve preserving even a tiny portion of western civilization, I’m all for it.
Source: Vecteezy.com