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Improper redaction reveals Google Data Center water and electricity usage

384 points · 503 comments · sensanaty

  1. _heimdall · · focus · HN ↗
    People shouldn't be latching onto side effect costs of AI data centers like water or energy use, it seems like an abstraction layer above the core complaint. If we don't want AI, or LLMs, or data centers that should be the complaint. Once it is abstracted to water use or similar it opens the door for data to show the actual water use is comparatively small.

    Its like arguing about climate change by zeroing in on carbon emissions. The issue people should be raising is wasted energy, over consumption, not knowing "enough", etc. Once the issue is pinned to a single externalized factor the argument lives or dies by that factor.

    1. hinkley · · focus · HN ↗
      When laws are unjust, resistance is duty. And you usually have to come at them sideways, to delay while the wheels of justice slowly grind toward repeal.

      Legislation gets easier once public opinion has turned against an idea or a company. But it takes a while to build that up.

      1. fasterik · · focus · HN ↗
        Which laws are unjust in this context?
      2. _heimdall · · focus · HN ↗
        I think I may agree with you here, but in this context can't you add more details? Your comment here is pretty high level and not specific to this topic or how we might go about trying to handle it.
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