Opinion
Mr. Greer is an essayist who frequently writes about politics and international affairs at The Scholar’s Stage.
TL;DR
- AI companies are encountering obstacles on their path to developing advanced AI.
- The AI safety movement, concerned about existential risks, has gained traction in Washington.
- A grassroots backlash against data centers is growing, fueled by public anger.
- The AI industry is better equipped to handle the safety movement than the data center opposition.
- Data center construction requires significant land and energy resources.
- Public opposition to data centers is rooted in their perceived lack of direct benefit to ordinary people.
- Resolving the data center backlash hinges on demonstrating tangible benefits of AI to the public.