this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2026
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I can only hope this is true. Most voters aren't paying a bit of attention to where the money comes from.
They're using AI. They think it's wonderful, they've barely heard about the controversy around data centers, and think "data centers are where the internet it, yOU lIkE thE inTErNeT, Don'T yoU?"
The Top 10 AI Uses in 2025 (none of which it does very well):
My thoughts exactly. I know two folks who are going all in with AI and haven't even considered any controversy. Feels like they live on another planet. Hell, one of the guys was even showing off his pervert glasses and when I called them pervert glasses he laughed and said he hadn't heard that before.
I really hope those folks are in the minority.
Dang. Their online filter bubble must be strong. Likely the kind of person who also doesn't care about surveillance capitalism because "it'll recommend good things to buy."
Quite right! When they email me for advice it's often AI generated, too. I always come across as the insane person telling them not to trust AI (why even ask me for advice if you're just going to vibe coded your site anyway...)
You'd be surprised. Data centers seem like a big issue. My boomer parents hate data centers, as do a lot of rural voters who have them nearby or proposals nearby. But to your point, I also see a lot of people who are aware of problems around ai/data centers/billionaires still using ai.
The problems with data centers are not the data centers, it's missing regulation about where and how to build data centers.
It's a very American problem.
Its the scale. You cant build GW datacenters without messing with everyone nearby.
Very true. A regulation that not only regards the interests of capitalists but also of the people and the environment living there could fix that.
We're having similar problems in Aus https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-21/west-footscray-data-centre-delays-nextdc-value-asx-vic/107291744
Australia? Isn't that the other side of the world, where people live upside down and don't even notice it?
Yeah that's right. At least our toilets flush in the right direction though.
I sleep at night by telling myself they're the minority
So, you also cannot discern the difference in traditional DCs and AI DCs? I feel like you know and I'm missing something.
Scale. Older data centers fit in the "light industrial" zoned parts of town and required some minor grid upgrades to the local electrical distribution.
Planned data centers require as much power as an entire rural state and are the size of a small town and get buit too fast to wait for any new power generation to be added to the grid.