The recent rise in data center construction has left Americans feeling more outraged than encouraged. People have been told these centers use up water, power, and in many cases, people just do not want their beautiful town scarred with a concrete tomb. Whole towns have even shown up to city council meetings, demanding these centers not be built. Just for the members to unanimously pass an ordinance in its favor right in their faces.

It has left people feeling outraged about the data centers, to say the least. However, there are plenty of positives to them. Job growth comes along with the centers, but beyond basic economics, these centers are a core necessity for the American future. Especially a future where the U.S. maintains hold as the world's dominant superpower.

China's growth and expansion of AI have helped surge them to the forefront of technology. Which is concerning for the U.S., especially as people grow increasingly worried and cautious of AI. Silicon Valley right now is losing the public relations battle but also losing the battle with China.

Data expert Michael Lucci says misinformation has not helped. But China has also used AI to concoct smear campaigns online, stirring the pot of hatred against data centers.

"There is recent polling that shows people would actually have a nuclear power plant closer to their home rather than a data center," he says.

It is true that a lot of the information spread about data centers is largely false. Power consumption is a genuine concern, but everything else has been fearmongering spun up by low IQ people on TikTok and the Chinese.

Why would the Chinese want to influence American AI expansion? Because the U.S. falling behind in AI directly benefits them. The U.S. and China right now share an equal advantage when it comes to the resources and technology in developing AI. But it is about how we ride that advantage that will matter.

"If we do not build out data centers, we are not going to scale out computational advantage," says Lucci. "We have better chips, but if we do not build out the data centers to use them, we are not going to scale that advantage."

It is not just some middle school bicker battle, either. This is not about getting a leg up on China as some big of pride or ego. There is legitimate national security risks involved.

While people do not like the data centers, and sure they might have some negatives, they are a necessary evil to keep America as we know it. Because if we do not, then the Chinese win not just the battle, but the impending war.

"Expect the next drug innovations to come from Communist China rather than us...probably using American intellectual property collected by their AI systems," Lucci says. "Expect the best weapons on cyber warfare to hack out systems...but also, missiles technologies and defense technologies go to Communist China if we let them win on artificial intelligence."

He adds losing this advantage hurts our ability to prosper in the long run.

The battle is on for AI and who will wield its powerful force. If Silicon Valley does not get ahold of the marketing message soon, the U.S. might see its status as the global leader threatened.

San Antonio's First News

San Antonio's First News