The AI Data Center Arms Race

If these AI locations are allowed to grow, they must provide all the energy needs on-site. And be independent of local utilities as to water, they'll be required to recycle on-site as well, and comply with the Clean Water Act.

These centers should be requiered to build their own infrastructure for energy/power generation, water or anything else they require that would put a burden on the local general population. Building and developing these centers is an necessary evil that is requiered in order to remain a global leader, however the welfare and care of the population and the environment must be kept as a top priority.

I live in Georgia and we have several data centers already. Yes, local objections have stalled a couple of construction projects. These companies can deploy local electric generation options such as natural gas and small nuclear modular power stations. We should NOT wait on the AI front; China will gladly take up the slack, and they don't have a lot of protests about it. I think these companies need to inform the public on exactly how they plan to allay the public concerns about power and water. The public needs more information.

Let those building the data centers, add building their own power generation plant, as a part of the cost. Self sufficient. No rate increase to local people. Even build in excess power generation, to sell back to the grid, lowering costs across the board.

The answer would be nuclear generators for power. Let’s not get stuck in the banning again.

Simple: REQUIRE Every data center to provide at LEAST 5% MORE power than they consume at Maximum Operation. The remaining is added to the states grid and offsets the tax breaks the center got to build there. This includes All expansions.

I am parroting what others have said below......Two questions: 1. Why aren't new A-I facilities required to supply their own electrical generating equipment, taking local utility out of the picture? 2. They want to build an A-I facility in central florida. There is a total statewide draught in this state, Why aren't these plants located next to major bodies of water, like the Great Lakes ?

What Fred and Jorge said, 100%

Let them be built and expanded, but only if self-sufficient in energy and water and noise. And supporting road networks, etc. The communities were there first. Both are important, but like the development of roads and railroads, this need not be an exclusive alternative. Self-sufficiency will push toward rural locations near abundant water and new nuclear power plants. We should expect also that there will be enormous effort to make the electronics both faster, lower cost, and lower power. That will benefit us all. Historical precedent is the improvements in computers in price and capability due primarily to demand for games!

AI must die.

My opinion has to be held because I am a trivial percent of the population. I provide for my household's off grid need of electricity, water and waste. That being said, if you are connected to utilities there is much you can probably do to lessen reliance. But you might have to learn a few, new to you things.

The Amish have it right, stick with the horse and buggy.

Well if history has taught us anything, it's that the government doesn't put to much priority into "Protecting Americans" interests when it's in opposition of their grand schemes. Whether we're talking about (Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Food and evidently Big AI now), the American People's interests always take a back seat. And to be honest, what's all the hoopla over AI as it's existed for quite some time on varying levels. Why has it gone viral all of a sudden and what the hell is it exactly providing that it didn't before except more (Deep Fakes) and models/algorithms to tell the not so bright of society how to live their lives because they're incapable of doing that for themselves. This is already showing signs on many levels of being a recipe for disaster, specifically the workforce. But all the "leaders" want to tout it as the next great advancement. As the old saying goes, "if it sounds to good to be true, it usually is"..

AI must be allowed to advance so we don't fall behind the Chinese. However, it should not be advanced at the expense of citizens. Xcel in Colorado is forcing new data centers to foot the entire bill for infrastructure to power them. It think that is appropriate and I also think that datacenters should be building their own generation capacity, so it doesn't affect the grid. New datacenters should be building natural gas powered generation facilities that they pull directly from and then sell off excess generation to the grid.

The US has an abundance of natural resources available if certain "environmental" restrictions are lifted. We have plenty of oil, natural gas, and coal available to power the entire country and STILL be able to export to other countries. There would be additional cost savings from not having to pay for tanker ships to bring oil from the middle east.

We CAN provide power for these data centers AND stay a leader in industry and technology if we tap into our own resources rather than relying on other countries for oil we already have.

why can't there be cooperative effort of where the data centers assist in local energy development through gas generated electric plants construction or refurbish recently closed atomic energy plants like in South Carolina. Those type of projects become a win win. Then look at economic development where old industrial sites were located and land is being cleansed of prior pollution challenges. Finally tie site selection to location near salt water and co-develop de-saltation plant to provide water for both the data center and the public need. than

I'm much more worried about the data centers' excessive usage of water. Their power usage can be accommodated with building more plants, especially nuclear. But the use of water that humans, wildlife, and farmers need desperately can't be easily fixed. What will the data centers do: truck in potable water?

I am pro-nuclear power. It will become a necessity if these AI facilities continue to pop up all over the country. However, these nuclear plants will become popular targets of the unhinged left. Security measures will have to be state-of-the-art and on a massive scale. Employees will have to be vetted to the max. Preferably, I'd like to see all these AI-obsessed billionaires bring it down several notches and not use AI as a measurement of their manhood.