Numerous articles in the past few months have emphasized the unprecedented public backlash of opposition to datacenters. Similar resistance applies to artificial intelligence (AI) – which is the data-intensive technology motivating trillions-of-dollars of investment worldwide that drives burgeoning demand for datacenters.

The dynamics of this popular backlash raise serious concerns about Big Tech – a sector dominated by a handful of billionaires – and the hazards of their politically powerful agenda.

Financial Risks – Like all major technological innovations – railroads, automobiles, radio/television, computers and the internet, AI attracts excessive investor speculation – what Alan Greenspan called ‘irrational exuberance.’ Such unbridled financial speculation has resulted in growing over-valuation of the market for AI – or at least the rate at which demand for AI will develop. Many predict major financial reversals as a result.

Employment Risks – Widespread analysis of AI development predicts extensive job losses as technological procedures based on algorithms provide lower-cost alternatives for completing tasks now being done by humans – including both blue-collar work as well as professional positions in finance, health, and computer programming. This raises grave questions about social stability and how to distribute income needed to pay the expenses of millions of households.

Environmental Risks – Most datacenters now propose burning fossil fuels to generate the enormous amounts of energy required to operate them – dangerously adding to heat-trapping emissions causing climate change and harming human health. These digital processing and storage facilities also require massive amount of water for cooling, endangering community water supplies.

Effective national legislation controlling this technology is urgently needed.

David Kyler

Center for a Sustainable Coast