They didn't even crack my Top 10 Most Thought About Subjects.
Now I'm looking out my back door wondering if a data center is suddenly going to spring up like a maleficent new neighbor that sucks up tons of water and electricity in my city.
Don't get me wrong. I know that the modern internet simply can't exist without data centers. They are often called the "physical infrastructure of the internet." But I don't want one nearby.
I live in Oregon which just happens to be one of the ten states with the highest number of active and planned data centers (142) according to a Pew analysis of information compiled by Data Center Map.
My concerns are two-fold; data centers use up a ton of electricity and need a lot of water (which is an issue in our current drought status state) to keep all of those servers from overheating.
Also, there's the noise factor. Residents near data centers describe being near one is like having a "freight train" constantly running past their homes. Researchers have found that large data centers can have a "heat island" effect that makes the surrounding area noticeably hotter.
The reason that the need for data centers is expanding rapidly is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Big tech companies are talking up the benefits of large data centers which can consume more energy than entire major cities.
In Virginia, for example, data centers consumed 40% of the state's electricity in 2024, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
Most data centers have been built in rural areas thus far, but the growing need for them with the advent of AI has companies buying up property in metropolitan areas. That's when you'll read about protests from residents who don't want data centers in their back yard. People like me. But do you blame us?
Polls show most Americans say they expect AI to have a negative impact on society when you take into account how it will affect the labor market, education, environment and our personal relationships.
Some politicians argue AI will create new jobs. That's just bullshit. It's going to be just the opposite; people are losing their jobs to AI already today.
As it Stands, at a very basic level, we need data centers. The questions are how many we need, where they should go and who should bear the costs for them.
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