Hyperscale Data Centres and Emissions
Planned obsolescence in the data industry is a disaster in waiting, driven by economic incentives to rapidly scale up, regardless of environmental consequences.
The British Government's plan to "strip back" planning regulations in a new AI Bill would allow for automatic approval of giant data centres, posing a threat to energy security, water resources, and decarbonisation efforts.
The government is keen to tell us about how these new data centres will drive growth.
However, the benefits of these data centres for productivity growth will be minimal and largely profit US-based owners, rather than local economies.
This news comes as the IMF and the Bank of England warn of the dangers of an "AI bubble", highlighting the need for caution in the development of these hyperscale data centres.
Author's Summary
Hyperscale data centres pose environmental risks and limited economic benefits.