Community activists in rural areas of the United States are using artificial intelligence in their fight against technology giants и massive construction data centers (Data Center) "in their backyard." They recognize the irony of the situation, but claim that, despite concerns about the technology, AI helps accelerate their volunteer work. Activists are using the data center-based AI to confront its creator.
Ohio, currently home to more than 200 data centers, is one of the leading locations in the US for data centers, despite backlash from local residents. They fear that data centers will drive up energy prices and damage the local environment, much of which is farmland. According to the International Energy Agency, by the end of this decade, data centers will account for about half of the growth in US electricity demand, much of it from is being producedI'm on CHPP.
Concerns regarding the data center multifaceted: Residents are worried about electricity prices, climate change, load on the power grid and water supply systems, air pollution, declining property values, noise, and even the potential unsightly appearance of the buildings themselves, which are typically large concrete structures. However, buildings to house artificial intelligence systems are being built en masse across the country, especially in states like Ohio, which offer tax breaks and other benefits to large tech companies.
Social worker Jessica Sharp asks a chatbot to help her fight the construction of a data center just steps from her home. She says she tries to minimize her use of AI because of the energy it consumes, but the technology saves her time by helping her transcribe meeting minutes and speed up legal research. Realtor Jessica Baker uses a neural network to generate requests for documents to fight the data center construction. "I'm using the beast to slay the beast," Baker says.
Technology has also helped activists coordinate their actions and spread information. Baker and Sharp share information on social media. Several local groups protesting the data center have attracted thousands of members in just a few months. Meanwhile, Baker posts what she calls "angry videos" online—the first of which has garnered nearly half a million views.
Company Amazon The company stated that the construction of the data centers will create at least 100 new long-term jobs and fund up to $35 million in public infrastructure improvements. "We know that any new construction can raise concerns in the community, and we believe it's important to develop solutions that truly address community concerns," a company spokesperson stated.
There are conflicting opinions regarding the economic benefits data centers can bring to a community. The nonprofit JobsOhio asserts that data centers "create a positive economic boost" for Ohio by creating jobs and attracting talent. However, according to the state agency Ohio Consumers' Counsel, while construction brings a short-term influx of jobs, these opportunities disappear once the facilities are completed.
Data Center Watch, a research company that tracks opposition to data center construction, reports that local governments across the country have blocked or delayed approximately 20 projects, with a combined investment of nearly $100 billion in the second quarter of last year. Some states are adopting special legislative amendments: for example, Maine became the first state to pass a bill banning the construction of new data centers until November 2027.
Local residents from rural areas gather to discuss, what measures They can take steps to deter data center construction. One resident said she felt devastated because the documents regarding a proposed large-scale data center near her home "looked like they were written in Klingon." Another local resident said she refused "disgusting amounts of money" offered for her land, which was to be used for a data center. Many residents didn't even know what a data center was until they learned it was planned for their neighborhood.
Activists are collecting signatures for a petition aimed at amending the Ohio constitution to ban the construction of medium- and large-scale data centers with a capacity of over 25 megawatts. "It threatens our way of life: We move more slowly here, we value the views, and we don't want that to change unless it benefits the people who live here," Baker said.
Ohio Congressman Greg Landsman recently introduced legislation that would require data center operators to fully fund their energy and infrastructure needs, as well as commission environmental impact studies. He claimed that some areas of Ohio have become a "data center hub" due to "cheap land and cheap politicians." Landsman wants to ban elected officials from signing non-disclosure agreements about data center projects—a practice that has caught many Ohioans off guard.
"Big tech companies should pay for everything," Landsman says. "In large part because they're the primary beneficiaries, and also because they have capital, and our cities and communities don't; they've been starved for cash for some time now—both cities and people."
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Source: 3dnews.ru
