Data Centers? Who Needs Them!

For the longest time, I supported data centers because I believed they would help drive future growth with AI. They sounded like a big win for our economy and for maintaining a global lead against China and other countries. 

My sister came to visit and help celebrate my birthday. To my chagrin, she is openly opposed to data centers. 

“It’s all a scam to get people on board, and it does more harm than good. It doesn’t create new jobs, except during initial construction. After that, only a handful of technicians are needed,” she told us. 

My sister is not a political junkie like I am, and she is more conservatively aligned than I am, much like my other sister. For that reason, I thought it was odd that she would take this position. The issue has become a hot-button topic locally, with permits submitted to city and county authorities to build these centers. Developers are asking for various tax breaks while promising future job growth. 

So, I did my own research, and this is what I discovered about data centers. They are not the clear-cut benefit I had been led to believe. 

I had heard about other factors, especially the environmental impacts these centers could potentially create, but I dismissed them as alarmist propaganda from foreign actors. After reading more, I realized those concerns deserved closer attention. 

Then there is the issue of electrical demand. According to one expert, as much as fifteen percent of all power demand could come from these servers. That would mean many fossil-fueled plants originally slated for closure because of lower demand would have to remain open, adding to air pollution. 

I used to believe in looking toward the future where technology was concerned, with data centers as an integral part of that future. In light of my sister’s concerns and what I have read and researched, it is time to take a step back and wait for alternatives to these ideas coming from big tech companies. 

As things stand now, many people in this country may not need or want something that could do more harm than good.