It has become apparent that the Chinese government in particular is behind the movement to limit data centers in the US, which in turn will hinder AI development. This was demonstrated in the recent case of a Maryland data center where opposition was found to be directly funded by China through various groups. Vast amounts of misinformation is being circulated and reposted on social media. The objective is obvious–let China take the lead in AI, and it will use its capabilities to hack into all manner of systems in the US, as it already has, including government systems, utility systems and financial systems. The most effective defense is a very strong AI capability to detect and prevent these hacks. Look at what happened to refrigeration systems in food stores in France due to Iranian hacking. If we don’t keep a lead in AI, some day we will wake up to find that our phones don’t work and we have no electricity or water.
Among the lies spread about data centers is that they use too much water, they cause electricity prices to go up, and they cause environmental issues. Seldom discussed is their role in creating large numbers of high-paying jobs and paying large amounts of local property taxes. If you ask residents who are near an operating data center, they don’t have complaints, in fact they appreciate the benefits. A new study has rebutted one of the most ludicrous of the lies used against data centers–that they cause local temperature increases. The study finds that the opposite is true–that the roofs of these large structures actually reflect heat and if anything, having a cooling effect on local temperatures. (DC Study)
Americans better sit up and pay attention to what China, and others, are doing in regard to important policy issues. And when it comes to data centers and AI, the best defense against China is to take and maintain the lead in software development and deployment.
It’s so easy to scare the masses with lies. The largest data center in the US uses about the same water as a single In and Out Burger restaurant. Come on people! If in doubt about what you hear, Google it. Then thank a data center for giving us such a great tool.
I have found the objections made against data centers to be strikingly ignorant along with being extremely contradictory with other woke talking points.
According the leftist talking points – property values for beach front properties a negatively affected by global warming and rising seas where as wind farms have slightly positive effect on property values near wind farms.
I am willing to bet most people could not even identify a building as a data center that they drive by every day to work. Most data centers have very low / nondescript profiles which make it very difficult to identify. The architecture often blends in very nicely with the surrounding businesses and residential properties resulting in higher property values.