Very good memory. It was a G4 Macintosh server back 30 years ago under my office desk.
AI data centers are often portrayed as either worse than a nuclear power plant or better than a factory full of new green jobs. The truth has been obscured by both sides. Like most things, they can be bad if done improperly and reasonably good if built in the right location with proper planning.
Last I looked, there were about 52 proposed new AI data centers across Pennsylvania. That is a lot of data centers for one state. In doing further research, it seems many of these projects are highly speculative and driven more by land developers than by actual technology companies with specific needs and plans. Not too far down the road, much of your AI usage may be handled directly by your smartphone or computer. I think there is overbuilding in the AI data center space, and there is a real chance of a bubble.
I am also tired of the media framing every issue as some sort of existential threat that requires everyone to run around with their hair on fire.
Like most controversial topics, somewhere in the middle lies the truth.