BBS: TELESC.NET.BR Assunto: An ex-programmers take on data centers is goes viral De: Mike Powell Data: Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:22:34 -0500 ----------------------------------------------------------- * Originally in: SF_Reality An ex-programmers devastating take on AI data centers is going viral and its hard to ignore Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:30:00 +0000 Description: A viral speech from an ex-programmer opposing a new Ohio data center highlights the growing backlash against the real-world environmental and economic costs of powering AI FULL STORY Its not every day that a city council planning meeting goes viral, but a recent session in Ravenna, Ohio, has done exactly that. The reason is a speech by ex-programmer, Mr. Hollingsworth, who delivers one of the cleanest and most articulate arguments yet against the construction of a massive AI data center . The clip has racked up 49 thousand likes on Reddit, with one user commenting, God Damn that was good. Seriously this should be used as a script in every county these corporations are hustling. Common arguments against AI -- Most of the common arguments against AI concern the dangers presented by chatbots from hallucinations that provide incorrect answers or the psychological dangers of believing the sycophantic leanings that most chatbots have. Hollingsworths objection was about the more physical needs of AI the infrastructure and the potential damage it does to the environment. Hes talking about land, water, power, tax breaks, and how few jobs a giant data center may actually offer to the local economy. "We are being asked to drain our reservoirs so a chatbot can write a poem, or so a sheriff can generate a picture of himself standing next to Bigfoot," Hollingsworth says. "Its a deliberately absurd image, and thats the point." Hollingsworth starts his talk by challenging the idea that modern-day data centers can operate as a closed loop system, which doesn't waste water. Closed loop uses circulating coolant through sealed systems, eliminating the need for constant water replenishment. Hollingsworth is skeptical that the forever chemicals produced in the cooling process wont eventually find their way back into the water table, no matter how many studies show otherwise. He goes on to tackle the myth that data centers bring jobs, and to mention how excessive the power demands will be, and the quotes keep coming throughout: "They want us to trust a trillion dollar industry that tells us, with a straight face, that they can suck five million gallons of water out of our ground a day, use it as a liquid heat sink and return it to our rivers without a single consequence," he says. Ohio is becoming a major battleground over AI infrastructure, with communities questioning whether the trade-offs are worth it. The push back feels less reactionary from somebody like Hollingsworth because of his credibility as an ex-programmer and working with AI models in the past. He frequently says that he is not against new technology or AI in particular, but the costs required for it to run come at a price, and its one that the city and its residents will end up paying if the planning permission is given the go-ahead. The progress of AI often feels inevitable and like it is happening without our consent. It might feel like something that lives in the cloud, but speeches like this are a reminder that AI runs on very real resources. If a project consumes huge amounts of local resources and reshapes the community, but only creates very limited long-term work, then the usual argument for agreeing to data centers, that youll be left behind unless you agree, starts to lose a lot of its power. Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/an-ex-programmers-devastatin g-take-on-ai-data-centers-is-going-viral-and-its-hard-to-ignore $$ --- MultiMail/DOS * Origin: Capitol City Hub (1:2320/105) ----------------------------------------------------------- [Voltar]