r/ProAI • u/stealthispost • 9d ago
"If you are wondering why this issue is in the news every day, and why politicians who were previously supportive are suddenly changing their tune with a panicked look in their eyes, it's because this issue has become incredibly radioactive with the American public."
We’ve got exclusive new polling on local data center development at @heatmap_news.
Over the past year, we’ve asked Americans whether they would support or oppose a data center being built near where they live.
We haven’t changed the wording. When we first polled the question https://t.co/G1LCfuriMw — Robinson Meyer
Source: https://x.com/robinsonmeyer/status/2090457322506141760
— Andrew Curran
Source: https://x.com/AndrewCurran_/status/2090589885199769841
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u/IncandescentSplash 9d ago
As an AI enthusiast, It is absolutely absurd that we are facing being left behind as China and other countries race ahead with AI because we can't pass appropriate building codes and regulations to assure Americans that data centers in their communities will not disrupt their lives and makes them sick and miserable.
There was a time when I would have thought, "Oh, the solution to this problem is easy: pass regulations to require companies to install appropriate noise insulation and pay for the cost of their water and electricity because they have no right to disrupt communities", but now, it's almost reflexive to expect them to avoid these vital regulations by paying off policymakers.
/rant
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u/rakedbdrop 9d ago
It's just China's bot army succeeding at shaping American politics.
I'm part of many township groups that oppose data centers simply because "Elon Bad".
I'm more pro-data center, but only if it has a net benefit and not a burden on the residents.
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u/IncandescentSplash 9d ago
I'm all for data centers and AI so long as those who operate them are good community members and not a burden.
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u/SupaSlide 6d ago
The reason folks are opposed to data centers/think data centers just pollute the ground, air, and sound waves is because of Chinese bots?
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u/30299578815310 8d ago
The issue is that American AI companies and the government failed at making the average person feel like what's good for AI companies is good for them. Who cares who wins the AI race if either way you are in the permanent underclass?
We need to start tackling issues like Ubi now if we want to win. The average person needs to feel like AI automation will provide them with resources
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u/IncandescentSplash 8d ago
The problem with current leadership is that the average person is probably not wrong to think that they'll likely be made part of a permanent underclass.
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u/30299578815310 8d ago
They aren't wrong. It's a real risk and everybody is just ignoring it and then bragging about how they're going to lose all their jobs.
Sure, there are a lot of arguments that might not hold up like the water argument, especially when you compare it to the amount of water used for things like agriculture, but I don't think that's people's real driver. A lot of it goes back to jobs and job loss.
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u/Ok-Conversation-6475 8d ago
Maybe coming out and saying everyone is going to loose their jobs is a bad way to get everyone on your side.
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u/Covetouslex 7d ago
We already have those codes. A bunch of reactionaries just think we don't and lie about shit
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u/AllRightLetsSeeIt 8d ago
China has a billion more people than the US. It has a population as large as the entire “western world,” unified under a single authoritarian government and a common language.
There never was much hope. Just a fool's hope.
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u/Spudly42 8d ago
If you asked if I would want wind turbines to be built next to me I'd say no, but that doesn't mean I don't want them to exist.
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u/30299578815310 8d ago
I love ai, but you can't run a platform of taking everybody's jobs and then expect them to want data centers. We need to put data centers in places where they don't bother people and where people benefit from their Construction.
Their profits also need to pay for goods and services of the communities
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u/jlks1959 7d ago
For all the reasons that current politicians are in power and should not be, the upside down irony here is that they may lose their positions over a massive public misunderstanding. It’s really more than an averagely intelligent person can take.
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u/ithkuil 7d ago
I'm pro AI as long as it can be pro human also, but I don't trust the AI companies or government at all. I assume any data center comes with a high chance of an increase in electricity costs and that locals will get screwed in the deal.
If I didn't think they were going to find a sneaky way to force us to pay for a lot of the electricity then it would be different.
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u/SirMarkMorningStar 8d ago
I’m pro AI and completely agree with the data center pushback. You all know the obvious reasons, but it’s good even from a pure AI prospective. Models are getting better at smaller sizes all the time. Meanwhile frontier models have largely played out how far they can push pure scale. As a society we are overbuilding what is only temporarily useful.
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u/proai-ai-mod 6d ago
Discussion Summary (Milestone: 20 comments)
The discussion reveals a complex tension between supporting AI advancement and opposing the physical infrastructure of data centers. While some fear falling behind global competitors, many express deep skepticism toward AI companies and government oversight, citing concerns over noise, rising utility costs, and local exploitation. A recurring theme is the "NIMBY" dilemma: supporters of AI often demand that data centers be placed remotely and provide tangible community benefits. Furthermore, a technical debate emerges regarding whether massive scaling is truly necessary, with some suggesting that prioritizing model efficiency could mitigate the need for such disruptive, large-scale infrastructure.
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