Is the shine already coming off ai & data centers?

Zarbok

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Dec 2, 2022
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I cannot show you....You will have to do the research yourself....I don't have the time to look it up for you, but the interviews with state and local officials are numbered in the dozens.....just research them on Supertalk FM app or website....I paraphrased what i have heard in these interviews.
As always, the burden of proof is on the claimante. If you say they've been debunked then you need to show us where theyve been debunked. Not just tell us to do our own research. They haven't been debunked. Water usage is a MASSIVE issue with these things, even with using treated sewage.
 

dorndawg

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Sep 10, 2012
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As always, the burden of proof is on the claimante. If you say they've been debunked then you need to show us where theyve been debunked. Not just tell us to do our own research. They haven't been debunked. Water usage is a MASSIVE issue with these things, even with using treated sewage.
BRO, state and local officials said it's fine. Not to mention all the executives from tech companies. Just trust them bro.
 

mstateglfr

All-American
Feb 24, 2008
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Yes, my point was that most people want good and decent things, and that doesn't have a left/right divide in the way you broke them up. Same team.
Exactly.

Many on the left dont want a surveillance state.
Many on the right want clean air, clean water, and clean land.


Claiming one ideology/side/group/party wants a surveillance state is either disingenuous or shows a misunderstanding.
Claiming one ideology/side/group/party wants a clean environment is either disingenuous or shows a misunderstanding.
 

paindonthurt

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Oh boy. He said there is a massive depletion of water sources. Sources...as in plural. That means multiple.
So he wasn't talking about water as a whole across the world.
He said sources are depleted, so it was clearly a reference to more localized water sources vs water across the world.

And he is correct- there are multiple water sources that have been depleted or are being depleted.

- You misunderstood the comment and have doubled down.
- You are failing to play a semantics game when it should be obvious that people speak about water depletion from a more localized perspective.
He implied like everyone else that we are losing tons of water.

they are Also making data centers way more efficient with water now.

Do you think solar farms are causing tornadoes and climate change too?
 

paindonthurt

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Will Musk xAI center in Southaven employ mostly Shelby County Tn folk, are will most of the jobs be for Mississippians?
I’m guessing they are gonna hire the most qualified regardless (as they should). But it’s definitely gonna benefit Mississippi and Mississippians regardless of what anyone thinks.
 

paindonthurt

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Call me crazy, I think most reasonable people don't want to live in a police state or environmental hellscape.
Neither of those is really an issue though.

Unless you don’t trust the government to do the right thing? And if you don’t? Why do you keep voting for more government power? 🤔
 

85Bears

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Yes, my point was that most people want good and decent things, and that doesn't have a left/right divide in the way you broke them up. Same team.
Agree completely, and as we have more and more power/wealth consolidation…plutocracy forming, this R vs D stuff becomes less relevant. Much easier for the uniparty to maintain power with the media generated red vs blue framing.

Most people want the same things from their represantive govt.
 

MSUGUY

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Oct 11, 2020
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We much prefer a world where we aren't even in the top 20 in Happiness (23rd), Basic Human Needs (28th), Life Expectancy and Health (40th to 50th), and Press and Personal Freedom (28th). *
Number one in obesity; sick, fat and happy
 

mstateglfr

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He implied like everyone else that we are losing tons of water.
2/3 to 3/4 of water used in many/most Data Centers evaporates. The remaining is discharged into the municipal wastewater system(whatever that may be in specific locations).

My city's water comes from shallow groundwater wells along a major river, deep bedrock wells, and water purchased from a neighboring city that comes from the first two places.
So when water is pulled from the ground and 70+% of it evaporates, that water is lost. It isnt going back and refilling some of those wells for a millennia(that means 1000 years).
Water that would have been available for people to use in future years is gone.

We all know that water vapor eventually lands somewhere. That doesnt negate the reality that water in the Data Center's area is lost through use.


they are Also making data centers way more efficient with water now.
Yes, that is known and has been mentioned in this thread.
What you describe is a closed loop cooling system, rather than the open loop cooling system that dominates Data Center design right now.
Fun fact- closed loop systems require more electricity(at least currently and in general).

Data Centers that use less water AND electricity are great- efficiency is awesome. Despite more efficient Data Centers being designed and built, the old system dominates actual impact.


Do you think solar farms are causing tornadoes and climate change too?
What? This has 0 to do with the topics being discussed. Stay focused man, stay focused!
 

leeinator

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Musk should have plenty of water to cool his data center since it sits right on the Mississippi River. Just have to filter it real good before using. Heck, there's even been talk of diverting Mississippi River water via a new large aqueduct connecting into the Colorado River entry area. Apparently, to help save the Colorado River and the 2 large dam lakes in the Grand Canyon. They are at an all time low and getting worse. Would be an expensive project, but might be a worthwhile venture to get the Southwest the water it needs to grow agricultural products the whole country requires. We've wasted money on much worse projects, so why not.
 

mstateglfr

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Feb 24, 2008
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Musk should have plenty of water to cool his data center since it sits right on the Mississippi River. Just have to filter it real good before using. Heck, there's even been talk of diverting Mississippi River water via a new large aqueduct connecting into the Colorado River entry area. Apparently, to help save the Colorado River and the 2 large dam lakes in the Grand Canyon. They are at an all time low and getting worse. Would be an expensive project, but might be a worthwhile venture to get the Southwest the water it needs to grow agricultural products the whole country requires. We've wasted money on much worse projects, so why not.


First, I want to pretend to be shocked that your take on this is 'why not do it since we have wasted money on worse things!'...but it doesnt surprise me at all.
Obvious obliviousness is always impressive to see.

As for why not do this...well here are some reasons-
- Water would need to be pumped more than 1500mi UP AND OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.
- The distance water would need to be pumped(Memphis to Lake Powell AZ) is longer than the Colorado River itself.
- The Mississippi River already experiences drought conditions impacting commerce...so pumping water away isnt exactly great.
- Less water reaching the Gulf means less sediment reaching the Gulf, which will impact land barrier quality.
- Lower water level in the Gulf means more saltwater creep in Louisiana.
- Moving fish and invasive species from the Mississippi to the Colorado and Arizona seems less than ideal.


I trust there are more reasons for 'why not'.
 

paindonthurt

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Apr 7, 2025
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2/3 to 3/4 of water used in many/most Data Centers evaporates. The remaining is discharged into the municipal wastewater system(whatever that may be in specific locations).

My city's water comes from shallow groundwater wells along a major river, deep bedrock wells, and water purchased from a neighboring city that comes from the first two places.
So when water is pulled from the ground and 70+% of it evaporates, that water is lost. It isnt going back and refilling some of those wells for a millennia(that means 1000 years).
Water that would have been available for people to use in future years is gone.

We all know that water vapor eventually lands somewhere. That doesnt negate the reality that water in the Data Center's area is lost through use.



Yes, that is known and has been mentioned in this thread.
What you describe is a closed loop cooling system, rather than the open loop cooling system that dominates Data Center design right now.
Fun fact- closed loop systems require more electricity(at least currently and in general).

Data Centers that use less water AND electricity are great- efficiency is awesome. Despite more efficient Data Centers being designed and built, the old system dominates actual impact.



What? This has 0 to do with the topics being discussed. Stay focused man, stay focused!
Blah blah blah

do you think solar panels are causing tornadoes? Bc that’s about as dumb as thinking data centers are gonna cause a major water shortage.
 

mstateglfr

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Blah blah blah

do you think solar panels are causing tornadoes? Bc that’s about as dumb as thinking data centers are gonna cause a major water shortage.
And here we have your second attempt at changing the discussion to be about solar panels, causing tornadoes.
It is a common theme for you – trying to move the conversation to hey totally unrelated argument.


The nitrate levels in my water are so consistently high, and continue to grow, that my state government has said we all just need to accept that these toxic chemical levels should be considered the baseline versus the concerning outlier.

I would like to see more uncontaminated water be used for people.
We do not have an unlimited quantity of water.
 
Nov 16, 2005
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Musk should have plenty of water to cool his data center since it sits right on the Mississippi River. Just have to filter it real good before using. Heck, there's even been talk of diverting Mississippi River water via a new large aqueduct connecting into the Colorado River entry area. Apparently, to help save the Colorado River and the 2 large dam lakes in the Grand Canyon. They are at an all time low and getting worse. Would be an expensive project, but might be a worthwhile venture to get the Southwest the water it needs to grow agricultural products the whole country requires. We've wasted money on much worse projects, so why not.
Steve Brule GIF by MOODMAN
 
Aug 22, 2012
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Yet all the tech leaders in the world are fully convinced it's the future and thus are investing billions of dollars and betting their company's future on AI being the next big thing. Who do you think is more likely to be correct, the "regular folks" or the smartest tech experts on Earth?
I saw an article that was basically these companies are all betting on it because if it works then if you didn't do it you are bankrupt. If it doesn't work then the government just bails out everyone anyway. Must be nice to be a billionaire and have that kind of safety net that normal people don't have.
 
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OG Goat Holder

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Agree completely, and as we have more and more power/wealth consolidation…plutocracy forming, this R vs D stuff becomes less relevant. Much easier for the uniparty to maintain power with the media generated red vs blue framing.

Most people want the same things from their represantive govt.
Definitely a reckoning coming. Rich are too rich. I don’t necessarily believe in the uniparty as I’m not much on conspiracies, but the lobby is real. Real as it gets. That’s why there’s so much upheaval each time a regime changes in the first year, and it starts to even out once the lobby starts getting their influence. Then things are calm for a while as both Rs and Ds regressing to the mean. And in the meantime we argue over trans stuff, bathrooms, fascism and race bait. And the lobby gets rich.

I’m going to start pulling my shlt out of the market for the first year of every new presidency.
 

85Bears

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Definitely a reckoning coming. Rich are too rich. I don’t necessarily believe in the uniparty as I’m not much on conspiracies, but the lobby is real. Real as it gets. That’s why there’s so much upheaval each time a regime changes in the first year, and it starts to even out once the lobby starts getting their influence. Then things are calm for a while as both Rs and Ds regressing to the mean. And in the meantime we argue over trans stuff, bathrooms, fascism and race bait. And the lobby gets rich.

I’m going to start pulling my shlt out of the market for the first year of every new presidency.
Uniparty isn’t a conspiracy. It’s the truth , the same lobbies own both parties on key issues and there’s very little difference on spending, forever wars data centers etc…

sure they throw red meat issues to get people frothing at the mouth, bathroom policy with trans etc…but the real power centers don’t care about that shlt
 

ReverseCowbell

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Oct 31, 2022
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I just want it to read all my emails, respond as I would, and file them away after. Do that and I’m in.
Also if it could interact with other humans so I don’t have to that would be sweet.
Also if it would go to boring parties and banquets for me. That too.
 
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TilloDwg

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Aug 25, 2012
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Better crank up some energy somewhere....these centers will have to consume 100% of all available power we have now in the country when up and running full speed. Not to mention home energy prices tripling or worse.
 

turkish

Junior
Aug 22, 2012
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Are there localized depletions? Maybe. There isn’t an overall depletion of water.
I’d argue “localized” is what matters most. I’m local, and so are you. To somewhere.

If it’s happened in some locales, is it not proof that others are next. I don’t know what the future holds, but logic tells me that we are allowing only a small fraction of the rainwater to infiltrate and replenish groundwater that we did even 50 years ago. I can’t help but be convinced that that will have consequences and I *think* we’re already seeing some impacts.
 
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paindonthurt

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And here we have your second attempt at changing the discussion to be about solar panels, causing tornadoes.
It is a common theme for you – trying to move the conversation to hey totally unrelated argument.


The nitrate levels in my water are so consistently high, and continue to grow, that my state government has said we all just need to accept that these toxic chemical levels should be considered the baseline versus the concerning outlier.

I would like to see more uncontaminated water be used for people.
We do not have an unlimited quantity of water.
No one’s changing the subject you autistic 17.

I’m trying to get you to be consistent. You aren’t. I know!
 

paindonthurt

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Definitely a reckoning coming. Rich are too rich. I don’t necessarily believe in the uniparty as I’m not much on conspiracies, but the lobby is real. Real as it gets. That’s why there’s so much upheaval each time a regime changes in the first year, and it starts to even out once the lobby starts getting their influence. Then things are calm for a while as both Rs and Ds regressing to the mean. And in the meantime we argue over trans stuff, bathrooms, fascism and race bait. And the lobby gets rich.

I’m going to start pulling my shlt out of the market for the first year of every new presidency.
Weird you always say people are jealous of government employees and here you are being jealous of the rich.
 

paindonthurt

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I’d argue “localized” is what matters most. I’m local, and so are you. To somewhere.

If it’s happened in some locales, is it not proof that others are next. I don’t know what the future holds, but logic tells me that we are allowing only a small fraction of the rainwater to infiltrate and replenish groundwater that we did even 50 years ago. I can’t help but be convinced that that will have consequences and I *think* we’re already seeing some impacts.
Well I can tell you what will hurt worse than some short term water issues.

China winning the AI race if it does what many people think it can do.

China being more powerful than America is bad for the entire world.
 

dorndawg

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I just want it to read all my emails, respond as I would, and file them away after. Do that and I’m in.
Also if it could interact with other humans so I don’t have to that would be sweet.
Also if it would go to boring parties and banquets for me. That too.
Fantastic username
 

horshack.sixpack

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It's gonna be here or China. We refuse to build them here and then all of our information goes through Chinese servers. Stopping them here is not going to stop AI. It will be built here or overseas. We can take our pick. But better choose wisely.
China does a lot of things negative for their people and environment that we wouldn't accept over here. I don't think it is about stopping AI, just being smart about what, and how, we allow development of industrial sites.
 

Chesusdog

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Can you tell me the upside here ? Massive depletion of water sources, more power requirements than what it takes to run San Francisco or other large cities, enabling mass surveillance that may erode civil liberties, huge bills to be funded by overstretched tax payers, no popular support, who voted for this ?

what am I missing here ?

On top of all that, if you have any interest in acquiring computer components or building your own pc, AI companies and data centers have driven up the costs to be damn near unaffordable. Additionally, companies like NVIDIA and AMD have shifted the focus of their production away from consumer.

So yeah, **** 'em all for making it so damn expesnive to be a nerd.
 
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Chesusdog

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AI lobby isn’t a D or R issue. There’s politicians on both sides pushing this.
Sarcastic Nancy Pelosi GIF by MOODMAN

Two sides, same coin.
Funny because if you look at the donations of the tech guys, it's almost completely to left wing causes. But somehow the right is playing ball with them. It's almost like we don't have two parties, but one.
It's one big party and unless you got Fishwater dollars you ain't invited.
 
Nov 16, 2005
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So there is talk of one coming to Clarksdale and the hubbub was all about the “water consumption”.

The land that the data center would be built on has three irrigation wells that are used every year to water the crops. Those three wells use more water to irrigate that farmland than what the data center would use in one years time.
 
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Darryl Steight

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We much prefer a world where we aren't even in the top 20 in Happiness (23rd), Basic Human Needs (28th), Life Expectancy and Health (40th to 50th), and Press and Personal Freedom (28th). *
I'm not sure I would believe everything from a poll that claims the US in 28th in "personal freedom". That's utterly ridiculous.
 
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Darryl Steight

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Happiness one is plausible because that’s subjective. Basic human needs is almost certainly a measure of preferred policies, not actual human needs. Life expectancy and health is very probably correct if there is no adjustment for demographics. Press and personal freedom is ludicrous. As bad as we occasionally are, we are still the tallest little person there.

eta: one of the tallest little people. Places like Switzerland may be better. Maybe some developing countries that are embracing freedom have an argument. But most developed countries are pretty awful.
Well, I just saw this response, after I posted a similar statement.. But you are correct.
 

Darryl Steight

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You don’t think so? I think it’s a real thing in some areas. I also believe it will eventually become a problem in more areas. I don’t believe there is much data on it yet, but our land use practices across most of the continent that actually receives rainfall have changed drastically over the last 100 years, consistently in the direction of prohibiting ground infiltration. Even our farmland uses wells to get water and advanced underground systems to shoot it off before replenishing the aquifer.
These data companies are getting better and better at recycling and re-using water. They recognized this problem early on and are hustling to get to a fully closed-loop system. So the goal would be to fill up their water tank once, then use that same recycled water forever, other than what's lost to evaporation. They're closing this down as much and as quickly as possible, but it's a work in progress.

We are all using AI so much and it happened so rapidly, that they are working on it as they grow. The phrase "building the airplane while it's already in the air" comes to mind. Some people just can't understand that we are in the early, sometimes painful, growth stage in building out critical infrastructure.