The average American’s energy bill could increase from 25% to 70% in the next 10 years without intervention from policymakers, according to a new study from Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Jack Kemp Foundation.
According to reports, America is facing an energy crisis, with demand for energy soaring due to the proliferation of AI and hyperscale data centers, which can use as much energy as almost 40,000 homes; the boom in advanced manufacturing, and the movement toward electrification.
I am struggling to understand why ANY of the cost for data centers and/or AI should be passed on to regular consumers. If a company wants to collect and amass information, they should bear the entire cost. Same with any company using AI for any reason.
ReplyDeleteEd
all costs of production are passed on to the consumer, thats the nature of business. Just like when politicians talk about taxing business, the consumer pays it.
DeleteThe Costs are not being passed to regular customers, the price is just going to go up because the demand (from the Data Centers usage) is going up and the supply is not.
DeleteBut we'll be totally green up here by 2029 or so.
DeleteIf I don't burn this bitch to the ground myself.
Don't be greedy. Plenty to burn for all of us to have a chance.
DeleteI'd like to have a reasonable estimate of the productivity gains resulting from this energy cost. Something NOT from a DC stink tank.
ReplyDeleteAI and data centers make a convenient scapegoat for the coming increases in electricity costs. The problem is the electric industry's attempt to switch to all renewable which will raise cost by 2x.
ReplyDeleteThey are already trying to bring nukes back on line, they need a lot of power for their games!
ReplyDelete1. "We need dozens of huge datacenters to run the AI we need to process and analyse all the surveillance data we gather on the population.
ReplyDelete2. "Make everyday rate payers bear the cost of the new generation and transmission needed"
The key is nuclear. Dedicated reactors to power these places. Solar panels, wind and batteries are just accessories. Not capable of getting the job done.
ReplyDeleteI submit that these AI facilities and data centers should be powered by ONLY by solar panels, wind and batteries.
DeleteThe power needs of datacenters is one reason Bill Gates managed to to convince The Powers That be to restart Three Mile Island. He's also part owner and a heavy investor in TerraPower, a Small Modular Reactor manufacturer, again to make sure his datacenters will have enough power.
DeleteJeff Bezos is also investing in nuclear power for the same reason.
If it comes down to a choice whether datacenters/AI or EVs will get the power, it will be the datacenters that will win that battle.
Fractal computing will end that issue. https://fractalweb.app/
ReplyDelete