"Two artificial intelligence experts at the University of Arizona say Tucsonans should support the Project Blue data centers to power more breakthroughs in health care, agriculture and other industries." This is nonsense. Health care benefits from hospitals and doctors who practice medicine in them. Agriculture doesn't need "breakthroughs". We need farms, farm workers, and water. We already have sunshine. Dunno what the "other industries" are.
At the prior meeting about Project Blue developers indicated that the facility would be used as a data center rather than for AI. This makes a difference as, from my understanding, the later uses a lot more energy. This makes questions about future generating capacity all that much relevant, as the other story mentioned that TEP is not retiring its coal plants, but converting them to natural gas.
I have also asked, but have not gotten an answer, if the developer agreement will provide access to compute from the facility for UA, PCC, and/or the public sector.
It's absolutely true that researchers and others could benefit from access to data centers and AI. So far though, I have seen zero evidence that Project Blue would actually provide this to our community.
I'm disappointed in Rex Scott. I think he believes what he says and writes. That said, I think Rex Scott is nieve in believing that he can trust any of our nations oligarchs, especially one with an anti-democratic history of union busting and demanding non disclosure agreements.
Surely we can find and do business with those who support democracy and our environment. I hope Rex Scott reconsiders his decision. We can do better.
There is lots to learn from current cities about the water risk factor around data centers. I also feel we can't ignore the potential postive economic impact of this project that could benefit so many. I hope a comprise can be reached.
I would guess that Sup. Scott’s op ed was simply to appease the right-leaning areas of his district, (the majority of disrict 1 is suburban, middle-upper class folks along the foothills and Oro Valley). District 1 is tough, especially for a Democrat, because it runs as far south as midtown, as far north as Oro Valley, and borders Marana on the west.
A glimpse of the future: https://techiegamers.com/texas-data-centers-quietly-draining-water/
"Two artificial intelligence experts at the University of Arizona say Tucsonans should support the Project Blue data centers to power more breakthroughs in health care, agriculture and other industries." This is nonsense. Health care benefits from hospitals and doctors who practice medicine in them. Agriculture doesn't need "breakthroughs". We need farms, farm workers, and water. We already have sunshine. Dunno what the "other industries" are.
At the prior meeting about Project Blue developers indicated that the facility would be used as a data center rather than for AI. This makes a difference as, from my understanding, the later uses a lot more energy. This makes questions about future generating capacity all that much relevant, as the other story mentioned that TEP is not retiring its coal plants, but converting them to natural gas.
I have also asked, but have not gotten an answer, if the developer agreement will provide access to compute from the facility for UA, PCC, and/or the public sector.
It's absolutely true that researchers and others could benefit from access to data centers and AI. So far though, I have seen zero evidence that Project Blue would actually provide this to our community.
I'm disappointed in Rex Scott. I think he believes what he says and writes. That said, I think Rex Scott is nieve in believing that he can trust any of our nations oligarchs, especially one with an anti-democratic history of union busting and demanding non disclosure agreements.
Surely we can find and do business with those who support democracy and our environment. I hope Rex Scott reconsiders his decision. We can do better.
There is lots to learn from current cities about the water risk factor around data centers. I also feel we can't ignore the potential postive economic impact of this project that could benefit so many. I hope a comprise can be reached.
I would guess that Sup. Scott’s op ed was simply to appease the right-leaning areas of his district, (the majority of disrict 1 is suburban, middle-upper class folks along the foothills and Oro Valley). District 1 is tough, especially for a Democrat, because it runs as far south as midtown, as far north as Oro Valley, and borders Marana on the west.