Note: You can read a deeper dive into this whole issue in my weekly column over at Hard Reset.

The United States has a split personality when it comes to AI data centers. On the one side, tech leaders (and the White House) celebrate artificial intelligence as a symbol of national power and economic growth. But politicians from Bernie Sanders to Ron DeSantis point out that when it shows up in our towns, it drains water, drives up electricity prices, and demands round-the-clock power like an always-awake city.

Every AI prompt—whether it’s wedding vows or a goofy image—fires up racks of servers that require enormous amounts of electricity and water to stay cool. The result is rising pressure on local water supplies and power grids, and a wave of protests and political resistance across the country. I’m covering that in today’s episode, and you can read the whole report over at Hard Reset.

The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I also got to speak about the national controversy over AI data centers on CBS News this week. Check it out:

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theripcurrent.com/subscribe

Penguin Solutions Rises, United Airlines Drops, Blue Owl Slumps as Investors Seek to Pull Funds

Stock Movers

Outro

The AI-powered Podcast Player