LETTER: The march of technology will make data centers obsolete

To Ozaukee Press:

By the time the artificial intelligence monstrosities are built, there might be technicians and inventors who could entirely change what services are needed from these data centers.

For example, just imagine: the LED light bulbs of today versus the light bulbs of only 50 years ago; the microwave kitchen ovens versus kitchen stoves of 50 years ago; the capacities of today’s smart phones versus portable phones of 50 years ago.

Or compare the communication systems used when people first stepped on the moon in 1969 compared to the amount of information that most citizens can carry in their pockets today.

I am certain that most of us could add to the list. However, I’m providing these examples to indicate that I believe that before the AI monstrous buildings are completely built, demand will change because there will be many available alternatives.

If you use computers to send emails, you may have noticed that AI is already attempting to help you write your messages. I do not like what AI is doing for me. I feel that it is doing something that I don’t want and it takes up a lot of my time to correct it. If there are errors in communications that I have written, I am willing to accept the blame for that. After all, we are only human.

AI has shown us how simple it is to add a fake person to what appears to be a regular photograph. It’s even possible to use a fake voice to sound the same as the real person.

If this kind of activity is what the AI people are looking forward to, please end it right now.

If it’s possible, an honest government agency should be established that would provide updates and accurate information to all citizens concerning costs, needs, sources of money and what is true and not true about AI data centers.

There are many questions to be answered: Is it necessary for trucks in service of the Port Washington data centers to transport soil or rocks or whatever kind of materials are hauled both ways? On a recent northward trip from Random Lake to Plymouth, I counted 57 loaded trucks traveling south. The trucks are easy to identify. Most have four main axles.

Is it really necessary to exchange that much soil material to correct a problem that did not bother farmers in the area for a couple hundred years? I’ve heard that some of the materials come all the way from Fond du Lac County to Port Washington. Evidently the environment is not being considered, or how much fuel is being burned up by these large trucks.

What is the true amount of water that is required to operate the data centers, from where is it coming, who is paying for it and how much will it be? Similar questions concern the electricity they will need to operate.

What is the life expectancy of the data centers? What happens to their huge buildings when they are no longer needed?

Will it be possible to convert the land that was once countryside and farmland back into a usable property? Will farmers be able to use the property for food production again?

Wayne Stroessner

Random Lake