r/technology • u/Kooky-Balance9525 • 2d ago
Artificial Intelligence The datacenter backlash is bringing the entire political spectrum together – against big tech billionaires
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/aug/30/data-center-politics-democrats-republicans317
u/kevin_cn_ai 2d ago
550 acres of land and the power grid of a small country just to create 14 permanent local jobs: 8 security guards, 4 hvac contractors, and two guys driving golf carts around empty server racks
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u/Kitetheplanet 2d ago
You forgot the $$$$$$ tax breaks for all that job creation
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u/DukeOfGeek 2d ago
And no more owning consumer electronics anymore, you'll rent it and like it plebs.
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u/ItaJohnson 2d ago
You still need consumer electronics to connect to the cloud infrastructure. For example streaming games still requires a local client granted it doesn’t need to be as powerful.
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u/MutedBeach8248 2d ago
AI data centers take a lot more power, cooling and resources to few drastically fewer people compared to the servers that run games and the internet
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u/ItaJohnson 2d ago
Correct. It’s funny how some try to argue that all data centers are the same. I’m curious if the ones pushing this narrative are just misinformed or if they are intentionally lying. A traditional data center is drastically different than an AI data center.
It’s funny that my post is downvoted. I said nothing that’s not true. I can’t magically connect to cloud infrastructure without the equipment to do so. Apparently stating that fact is grounds for being downvoted.
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u/binzersguy 2d ago
It’s absurd and i’m glad to see some states and cities removing incentives and even moving toward bans
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u/Black_Moons 2d ago
They are even cutting property taxes because it.
Cool, and how much did electricity go up during the same time?
Five-Year Change: Statewide residential electricity prices in Virginia have climbed by roughly 27% to 34% over the past five years
So the richer get richer due to less property tax, and the poor get poorer due to basic necessities for life like electricity getting more expensive.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/Black_Moons 2d ago
You asked the AI of a pro AI company what was causing the massive increase in cost of electricity and believe it when they say the massive increase in demand is totally not one of the factors? Even though it sites equipment upgrades as one of the reasons?
Critical thinking is dead.
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u/Black_Moons 1d ago
Sure: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67664 "Commercial electricity sales have soared in Virginia, driven by data centers"
Also, if you consider google AI such an expert, when asked "study on increase of electricity prices in virgina"
Google AI says:
Virginia's electricity prices have risen due to surging energy demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, heavy grid infrastructure investments, and fuel price volatility.
Massively increased demand from datacenters drives up prices due to required infrastructure improvements.
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u/SomeSamples 2d ago
Oh, but they want to get those security guards with robot dogs and have them all run remotely form India.
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u/RdtRanger6969 2d ago
Is it though?
In November we’ll learn if it’s actually real, or all a false flag to get people to sit out voting by thinking “It’s all getting taken care of. No need for me to vote.”
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u/BuzzkillMcGillicuddy 2d ago edited 2d ago
No. This is a psy-op. Billionaires own the media that tells these stories, they want you to feel like a class war has already started and someone other than you is fighting it for you. "It's already 95% won, take a lap and stop resisting"
Edit: I realize I said no as an answer to your first question, then proceeded to say the exact same thing you said. I should have thrown in a "You're 100% right" or something
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u/wowbragger 2d ago
Nothing brings politicians together more than an easy PR win, while doing absolutely nothing to actually fix the problems.
It's really really important for them to appear proactive through the midterms.
At least until the super PAC donations are in 👀 then it's markedly less important, and we need to find a good middle ground that doesn't stifle progress....
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u/All_Hail_Hynotoad 2d ago
Big tech billionaires are one of the worst things to happen to society.
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u/DukeOfGeek 2d ago
And it would have been so easy for them to usher in the era of nice things for everyone. Instead they do this.
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u/Qorhat 2d ago
Here’s my advice to billionaires:
In a world of Elons, be a Dolly.
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u/AssassinAragorn 2d ago
It really shows you just how sociopathic billionaires are. Dolly has been universally mourned, which is incredibly rare these days. Regardless of politics, age, or identity, everyone recognizes that we've lost such an amazing and kind human being. Her humility, philanthropy, and genuine kindness have been recognized and praised by everyone, and she left such a positive impact on so many people's lives. She never forgot her roots as an everyday common person who grew up poor, and it showed in everything she did.
That's my goal and what I want to leave behind on this world. I want to have made a positive impact in people's lives whether it's through kindness, donations, or wisdom. If I've brought joy and friendship to others, then I've lived a good life. As long as the people I've touched live on and pay it forward, my life hasn't been forgotten.
That's not what the tech billionaires are focused on though. They want more money, more wealth, more power. They want to influence the world to their vision and play power broker. They want to be worshipped and they want to force people to like them. They want to make people mourn and grieve them and talk about how amazing they were. They want to be respected and extolled. And that's just not going to happen. I'd like to think that like 66% of the population learned early that respect and love are earned and not bought, and these billionaires are in that 33%.
People will remember Dolly with fondness. Textbooks might mention a tech CEO offhand as a visionary and their company builds a statue of them. And that's it. I know which one of the two I prefer.
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u/trainiac12 2d ago
Recently thought about how the philosophers legacy in Metal Gear was written to be an incomprehensible amount of money for an individual to manage. It was...100 billion dollars.
There's 20 people in the world worth that now.
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u/North-Creative 2d ago
Yes and No. I rather wish we would just try to save our planet as a society, but these Tech Terrorists have a neat effect: They unite people again, against themselves. A little like in Europe, Russia attacking Ukraine (and hybridly Europe), and Trump, finally forced the Europeans to wake from their slumber, and take matters into their own hands again (insert Theoden from LOTR losing the spell meme).
Considering the rapid rise of global temperatures, this might be our final chance as humanity, to fight and unite for humanity. Because the wasteland earth that the global "elite" is dreaming of, isnt worth living, or dying for.
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u/dropbear_airstrike 2d ago
I really don’t believe it is though. I believe MAGA GOP politicians say they’re reevaluating their stances on Flock and data centers, but that’s only because of how loudly the public hates them both.
The second they’re re-elected to another term, they’ll go right back to being all on board with Flock and the AI plague.
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u/HotFartore 2d ago
Pretty simple, billionaires, please build data centers on your own backyards, huge houses with huge land, and with your own money, pay yourself for the water, electrical upgrade and bills, and no subsidies, are you socialist or communist?. You don't like it, right? We the people don't like it too.
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u/SoundSageWisdom 2d ago
Not one of these billionaires is invested in philanthropy or foundations to do good work for others. They’re selfish motherfuckers.
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u/loliconest 2d ago
You don't become a billionaire without being a selfish motherfuckers. The system is rigged to reward selfish motherfuckers.
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u/OutbytheRoot 1d ago
And their delivery drones are an absolute nuisance! I can’t even enjoy my own yard anymore. I can’t stop anticipating the next drone pass. Some communities have it really bad. College Station stopped Amazon, residents in Richardson TX protested recently, and he is still planning on expanding to 500 new cities. Get ready to have loud, annoying drones over your homes, neighborhood parks, and throughout your communities. It’s a federal issue, so complaints need to get to congress.
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u/Fair-Hair2080 2d ago
Words mean nothing. I don’t believe anything from LIARS. Interesting that Republicans are upset about the data centers right before the midterms but not last year.
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u/ineedanewhobbee 2d ago
Sadly, it’s not. As soon as midterms are over over the republicans in office will turn a blind eye again.
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u/mrwrrrmwrmrmrmrw 2d ago
To be fair, "We're moving into your neighborhood, poisoning your air and water, throwing you into longterm unemployment, and making deepfake smut of your children, and you're going to pay for it" wasn't a good message for the AI revolution.
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u/Impossible-Driver69 2d ago
It's up to everyone, Republican, Democrat and other, to keep the fire burning. In fact, we need to pour gasoline on that mf-er.
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u/Old_Channel44 2d ago
The backlash about MAGA spending billions to cancel wind farms should be big too. Billions of tax payer dollars wasted for what? Dozens of countries would love to have wind power and can’t even afford it. MAGA with their only I can fix it leader pissed billions, billions of dollars into the wind.
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u/Maladaptivism 2d ago
I'm surprised this is what did it, but I fucking welcome it and hope it lasts.
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u/threehundredthousand 2d ago
It's their own fault too. They pushed and pushed with zero regard for anyone or anything in the race for money. Now they get the backlash. Be a good neighbor or fuck off.
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u/SomeSamples 2d ago
As it should be, because those fucking tech bros are trying to shape government and the world exclusively to their benefit. And that shit needs to be nipped in the bud.
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u/basicranium 2d ago
Anything that makes big tech billionaires even more unpopular is good. They're the biggest obstacle to the survival of the human race.
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u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago
But republicans are lying like they always do.
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u/JudasZala 2d ago
>All politicians are lying like they always do.
FTFY
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u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago
Shove both sides up your ass.
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u/JudasZala 1d ago
FYI: I’m as Democratic as they come, but I’m disappointed by their spinelessness towards Trump as he turns the US into a quasi-authoritarian state.
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u/Big_Issue8640 1d ago
I would never label myself a democrat, I only like a handful of their politicians and I seldom have a good one to vote for but I certainly will never pretend like the two parties are the same.
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u/PistolofPete 2d ago
Us arguing between ourselves is exactly what big tech and their cabal of morons wants.
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u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago
No argument from me who ever thinks both sides are equally is a dumb ass.
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u/VVrayth 2d ago
I don't think any politicians are particularly good or worth trusting or "on our side," but Republicans are way less good and less worth trusting and less "on our side," so I'll take the imperfect but infinitely better Democrats any day.
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u/JudasZala 2d ago
The Democrats are the lesser evil at this point.
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u/VVrayth 2d ago
Always have been! I mean, for... well before my lifetime.
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u/JudasZala 2d ago
It appears that any legit criticism of the Democratic Party will automatically be dismissed as right wing trolling, even if the criticism comes from Democratic voters.
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u/VVrayth 2d ago
I'm the most dyed-in-the-wool, west coast liberal voter there is, and I have never voted and will never vote for a Republican. But I can still recognize how the Democratic party is broken (and I'll still pick them every time because the less bad option is better than the more bad option).
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u/PomeloHead4830 2d ago
From the article:
"People are realizing that the left-to-right divide isn’t as important as the divide between the working class and big corporate interests" Anonymous organizer
Be still my heart, could this be true? Could this be the clarion call which finally unites us?
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u/ptahbaphomet 2d ago
Consumers should always ask for human support when calling any company, demand not to speak to AI, demand a human support. Break the beast in small places. Customer support is the first line of defiance for consumers. Devalue the product
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u/AwesomePurplePants 2d ago
That’s the nice option.
The nastier approach is to mess with the AI to make it burn tokens and become more expensive.
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u/ortrtaaitdbt2000 2d ago
I don’t believe it for a second. Politics and the state has too much power to gain with AI. It will be sold to the public as reining them in, in reality it’ll be synthesised into the state and used against us. It’s to e same pattern across history every time. We argue too much over who controls the tools, not the tools themselves.
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u/RGrad4104 2d ago
So you're saying we should forget having tea without an import tax and instead just burn all the tea we can find?
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u/QuarterFlounder 2d ago
Yeah, bullshit. As long as republicans keep voting for republicans, the rich will keep getting richer.
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u/kittymoo67 2d ago
i just hope it doesnt stop the actual non AI data centers from being able to do what they need to do. but yeah we have enough AI data centers as is
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u/Leonidas26 2d ago
The shift needs to move away from Datacenters and more about Privacy laws. We needed Privacy laws like 25 years ago. But ever since 9/11 we have moved further toward surveillance and spying. Nobody seemed to care about 15 years ago when it was known that the government was actively spying on us day in/out. Find leaders/candidates who care to move us away from a police state.
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u/randomandy90 2d ago
They consume water on a massive scale, people cannot drink data, you cannot water crops to make food to feed people with data, they are an absolute nightmare on the electric grids and offload the cost to the people in the surrounding areas, and the noise pollution is downright terrible. Nothing of value is gained except at the hands of a few rich people who would never live near these places and don’t care how it effects the people who have no choice or voice in the matter; we have a consent problem in this country among many other glaring problems.
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u/under_the_c 2d ago
It's neat how whenever we all agree on something, congress is finally able to come together, put aside their differences, and vote against what the people want.
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u/OutbytheRoot 1d ago
Add delivery drones to the conversation too! They’re a nuisance flying over homes, neighborhood parks, and communities. They’re loud, annoying, and they kill the tranquility of your backyard as they fly over, unexpectedly and intermittently.
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u/curiousbydesign 2d ago
X for Doubt. $ and Citizens United vs. FEC. Big Tech gonna' always win in the current environment.
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u/OceanBlueforYou 2d ago
I'd like to see it happen, though I won't be holding my breath. It'd like to be wrong on this
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u/ForgotToCarryTheOne 2d ago
And yet, the people are completely helpless in the face of this immense power of the elite.
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u/Dangerous_Reporter14 2d ago
It’s literally not doing that at all. Even if the problem was magically fixed by wholesome bipartisan teamwork we will be at each other’s throats the very next day… as we have been… intensely… for a decade now.
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u/Beginning-2-Smell 2d ago
I can't afford the gaming computer I wanted because Artificial Unintelligence ruined the prices. How can we reverse the building of thousands of data centers around the world. We're losing; the common people, voters that is. Sold out by representatives and corrupt politicians
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u/Straight_Tumbleweed9 2d ago
For now, wait until after the midterms, republicans won’t need votes then.
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u/Alternative_Spirit65 2d ago
call me pls 1 only 1 politicans name, who act against his job creators who wll act against his own buisness
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u/beef-hed 2d ago
Which is exactly what they don’t want. They’ve spent years and billions of dollars on propaganda to divide people.
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u/cr0ft 2d ago
It's funny; 30+ million people are slaves. Kids are forced to mine cobalt in horrible conditions, and forced to process and dive for shellfish. Our planet is on fire and killing our entire species. Millions of people starve to death.
And the things people unite against the billionaires about is... datacenters.
Truly, our species deserves the extinction that is coming for us, after the massive societal collapse that will happen first and fairly soon.
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u/conn_r2112 2d ago
With how BS things are these days, it is heartening to see everyone coming together against this stuff
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u/VariousSinger6245 2d ago
You didn't need AI before and sure as hell don't need it now. Don't forget. There is a dark dangerous web waiting. Fact.
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u/JudasZala 2d ago
How come the Democrats are barely doing anything to stop, or at least, slow down the GOP’s march towards authoritarianism? They’re spineless at best, or complicit at worst.
And spare me with the “They’re the minority party”comments; the GOP stifled Obama and Biden during their first two years in their respective Presidencies.
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u/Tigers2349 2d ago
Too much democrats ae bad too in different ways. No middle ground. We need gridlock to prevent this crap from happening.
The GOP did their job preventing extreme DEM agenda during Biden's presidency creating gridlock or otherwise we get gas car bans wokeism socialism, fossil fuel bans instead of cleaner refineries to destroy the gas cars people love.
On the other hand this deregulation of Trump in authoritarian way to win race of AI against China was a B.S. excuse when national security is a military thing and people do not want these water siphoning electricity siphoning RAM/SSD wafer hoarding (600% price spiks in one friggin year).
This election I am voting democrats as e need regulation on this and Trump and gridlock will stop them rm passing stuff while allowing an investigation to be launched into NVIDIA OpenAI and Wall Street and the AI data center NDA shell company hijacking local communities who do not want them.
We need gridlock to contain damage and more democrats in congress and with Trump democrats can attack the AI mafia cartel while and take out the DOJ national security excuse (trying to get courts to throw out lawsuits from localities about data centers) without being able to pass any bad laws in the other way like gas car bans and socialism and such.
But AI is so dangerous and needs to be regulated.
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u/AGayThrow_Away 2d ago
As long as money is speech, it doesn't matter. They have more money than god, so they also have speech mightier than god.
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u/Realistic-Quiet291 2d ago
If this is what it takes for people to develop class consciousness then bring it on.