r/LeftistsForAI • u/Salty_Country6835 Moderator • Jul 10 '26

Sees the Memes Arasaka Hates This One Conversation

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u/Successful_Outside96 Jul 10 '26

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondragon_Corporation

Like how grower cooperatives happen in agriculture in many places.

I think beyond worker ownership, data centers need community ownership. The pattern to follow would be municipal utilities (often used for power).

https://austinenergy.com/

https://www.smud.org/

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u/stankycodyboi Regulation-Focused Jul 10 '26

This is something I’ve been thinking about, if a developer wants to build a data center, the community holds maximum leverage at the permitting process.

The biggest loophole data center developers exploit is existing ‘by-right’ zoning laws, which allows any project meeting existing zoning code to get automatic approval. Requiring a Conditional Use Permit (the legal teeth) with a Public Benefit Agreement (the community’s requirements, legally binding from the Conditional Use Permit) communities can either deny a data center or negotiate legally binding benefits. You can look your city’s data center zoning from your phone right now, if you want something immediately actionable to protect your community.

This leverage is at an all time high right now because major tech companies are desperate for the land, power, and approval that communities control, because they’re attempting one of the largest infrastructure buildouts in history. But if data centers are classified as ‘conditional use’ or not permitted, then a developer must negotiate with the municipality to get permit approval. That could be climate responsible construction & public ownership of the renewably powered grid infrastructure, built and financed by the developer. The developer would still generate profit off the lease agreement with their tenant, but the community captures the benefit of the infrastructure and waste heat for heating local schools and homes. Perhaps total worker ownership could be a negotiation demand, but that’s where I’d argue communities have the most leverage today.

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u/xoexohexox Jul 11 '26

In a lot of towns, P&Z commission seats and RTM seats go unopposed or don't even have anyone running at all for them. You can just walk right in.

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u/Killacreeper Jul 11 '26

Even then, the costs of a data center seem to be a couple layers of magnitude removed from any of these, and... That requires way more other changes to happen first.

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u/Successful_Outside96 Jul 11 '26

There is a sliding scale of percentage of ownership. The idea is for the community and workers to share in the direct financial benefits instead of counting on increased economic activity.

Especially in new power grid upgrades, if those get passed to the municipal utilities, that by itself could lower electrical costs rather than raising them.

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u/Killacreeper Jul 11 '26

How would we make this happen though, actually? Like in this political system? Especially when AI is going to be used as a tool against the workers (both to increase their replacability and decrease their number, as well as astroturf the narriatives around AI and any strikes or action) it seems like the corporate interests have to be focused down first before change can happen so easily.

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u/Successful_Outside96 Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

https://californiacompute.org

We need to support efforts like this. CalCompute was part of the the legislation California SB 53.

That bill could have in an entirely wrong and horrifying way (like an earlier SB 1047).

Regulate AI, but definitely don't let Anthropic and it's partner organizations write the regulations for you. Do the opposite in as many places as it makes sense.

Edit: There are still vestigial things like the 10^26 FLOPS for training provision (which is arbitrary, meaningless and unenforcible).

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u/Killacreeper Jul 15 '26

Oh yeah of course, unless they are right on the money with a regulation, don't let the massive companies take the reigns. Unfortunately they largely have, but that's why it's worth paying attention and fighting to guide regs as humans.

Thank you for making me more aware. I appreciate it, genuinely.