Most Americans Say AI Is Bad for Society, Oppose More Data Centers(abcnews.com)
37 pointsby karakoram3 hours ago10 comments
  • platinumrad16 minutes ago
    Not surprising when Sam keeps on talking about how his AI is going to take your job and Dario counters by saying his AI is going to kill you.
  • cdrnsf3 hours ago
    Most Americans would be correct.
    • nomel2 hours ago
      As they answer the poll on the data center hosted website, before ordering delivery by making a data center hosted phone call, with the driver getting to their house via datacenter hosted mapping service. The driver hands them their food along with a small Amazon delivery box that was waiting on their porch, delivered via the work of many data centers. They then go enjoy a streaming movie as they eat their dinner, after telling Alexa to dim the lights, and to order more napkins.
      • techblueberryan hour ago
        I dont have an Alexa.

        and maybe what I’m taking away from your post is too many god damned things rely on a datacenter.

      • techgnosis2 hours ago
        "And yet...you are part of society. Interesting..."
        • nomel2 hours ago
          Sorry, my point was that I don't think the average person understands they're constantly making use of data centers.
          • cdrnsfan hour ago
            Perhaps not but there's a vast difference between the infrastructure that had been used prior to the current boom in hyperscalers. If I had to choose between DoorDash and breathing the exhaust generated by 30+ gas generators I know what I'd pick.
          • pebblean hour ago
            Doest mean we need so many of them.
      • 2 hours ago
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      • shimmanan hour ago
        Hyper scale data centers are absolutely not the same, and you're making it sound as if people have a real choice when oligarchs control everything.

        All I'm getting from your comment is maybe the government should provide public options for payment processors, gig workers, social media, email, and operating systems.

        Maybe they should start by nationalizing a few of these companies and provide the benefits to the public instead of the billionaires.

    • greggoBan hour ago
      Tbh I'm surprised it's only 57%, I had thought with all the reporting over the datacenter backlash it would be more like 75%+.
  • ravenstine2 hours ago
    They say it's bad for society, but look at what they choose to consume.
    • up2isomorphism2 hours ago
      It is not contradictory at all. If your neighbor has a gun you probably buy a gun too in fact probably a bigger one.
      • ETH_startan hour ago
        This is a tool for creation. So if it's giving one party a competitive advantage over another, that suggests it gives people creative powers. This is very much unlike a weapon where another party having a more effective weapon imposes only negative costs on you. Another party having more creative powers has significant positive externalities that benefit you.
    • Henchman212 hours ago
      When the only choices you can afford are _hot garbage_, it starts to seem like the game is rigged against you.
  • fennecbuttan hour ago
    I've seen interesting points made on this topic. Like how on the whole China/Asia poll more favourably in public perception and adoption of AI.

    I'm still skeptical that the source of Western dissent is misinformation campaigns run by said Asiatic bloc, though.

    • gonzalohm40 minutes ago
      Have you seen the behavior of all big tech companies in the US for the past few decades?
    • thepryzan hour ago
      I'm skeptical that the misinformation campaigns are run by China, et al. but I do believe there are a number of competing interests directly manipulating public perception.
      • estearuman hour ago
        And surely “the public” doesn’t include “thepryz” though!
  • bezier-curvean hour ago
    I think for me at least, my main concern with data centers is the energy fueling them and the air pollution. It's not fair to buy up property around residential areas and force portable natural gas turbine emissions into people's lives. We need these powered by renewable energy at minimum.
    • turpentine39 minutes ago
      Additionally, I would ask what the economic benefits are.

      If they are structured to end up running at a loss and generate almost zero tax revenue (i.e. just payroll tax on a dozen full time staff) on large amounts of revenue, is that good for the people of the city/state/country?

  • 3 hours ago
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  • ETH_startan hour ago
    Americans reveal their preferences in their consumer choices. AI is the most rapidly adopted service in human history.
    • gonzalohm36 minutes ago
      You can't use a product that you think is bad for society? I use my car everyday even though I would rather not because it's destroying the environment. I don't have other choices though, It's either that or I don't work
    • pimlottcan hour ago
      When AI is jammed into every product and inserted at the top of ever TV search result, adoption isn’t really a choice
      • ETH_startan hour ago
        ChatGPT is now used by 1.2 billion people on a monthly basis. This is not an embedded product that people are being forced into. They are navigating to the website to use it.
  • newfriendan hour ago
    Most Americans have an IQ of around 100.
    • gonzalohm39 minutes ago
      Yet for this one they seem to be smarter than the rest
    • eli_gottlieb39 minutes ago
      Yes, 100 is by definition the population mean of IQ.
  • basedEnc2 hours ago
    [dead]
  • thepryzan hour ago
    Americans, as a whole, lack intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and are easily manipulated by the media. The amount of misinformation on both sides of the AI and data center debate is staggering but stirring up fear drives engagement and revenue so here we are.
    • add-sub-mul-divan hour ago
      Broadly writing off the opinions of people who don't share your views is the height of incuriosity.