Inside the Towns Saying Hell No to AI Data Centers w/ Jasmine Sun
Summary
Taylor Lorenz interviews journalist Jasmine Sun about the bipartisan backlash against AI data centers in rural America. Sun details her reporting from Wisconsin, Michigan, and New York, highlighting community anger over NDA secrecy, grid strain, and perceived lack of local benefit. The discussion covers why residents view AI as non-essential compared to housing or energy, and how past corporate betrayals fuel distrust.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Indeed, Tidy Cats, and Biora
Texas data center pause and guest introduction
Physical description and noise of data centers
Site selection: Power infrastructure and land use
Bipartisan opposition to data centers
Lack of public understanding of AI utility
Sponsors: Indeed and Tidy Cats
Consumer AI adoption and user sentiment
Water usage myths and closed-loop systems
Electricity demand and ratepayer protections
Clean energy challenges and nuclear concerns
NDAs and lack of public transparency
Foxconn and GM legacy: Trust issues
AI bubble risks and moratoriums
Speed of deployment and global expansion
Sponsors: Visible and Tidy Cats
China's AI infrastructure and lack of dissent
AI populism and political implications
Outro and sponsors: Uber Eats, Verizon, SVB, Stamps.com
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