When Project Blue caused an uproar last year, Tucsonans found themselves at the center of the raucous debate over data centers.
Now, it’s Marana’s turn.
As we reported earlier this week, the races for five seats on the Marana Town Council have turned into a de facto referendum on the data centers that keep popping up around town, with more on the way.
That means these aren’t just local races. In a very real way, the roughly 43,000 registered voters in Marana are voting on the future of the global economy. It’s a daunting task and we imagine voters in Marana — and wherever data centers become the hot political issue next — might need some help understanding the powerful forces pushing for more data centers.
Thanks to all the research we did while writing the A.I. Agenda, along with our daily scouring of local news sites, we think we can be of service here.
Today, we’re highlighting some of the major players of the artificial intelligence industry so you can get a sense of the larger drama playing out.
We also put together a nifty timeline of data centers in Marana to help you get caught up.
This farmland in Marana could end up as a data center.
First, a quick refresher on why you’re seeing so much news about data centers.
A few years ago, ChatGPT came on the scene and Big Tech started pushing AI into everything from chatbots to Google search results. All those AI tools require a lot more computing power than say, writing an email or uploading a photo. Hence, the demand for data centers has risen across the country.
As millions of people started using AI every day, the leaders of Silicon Valley and the top tier of the Trump administration placed a massive bet that they could make the U.S. the global leader in AI.
How massive? We’re talking about several trillion dollars.
But Big Tech and the Trump administration didn’t check whether local people would agree to let data centers be built in their communities. They just assumed it would work out.
They got a rude awakening over the past year as residents of towns and cities from Tucson to Lansing, Michigan, pressured local officials to use zoning laws or any tool within reach to stop data centers from being built.
That backlash spurred a counterbacklash of its own from the business establishment, conservative politicians and labor unions that see data centers as job creators. Call it the anti-anti-data center movement.
For now, Marana officials are contending with at least two proposals to build data centers within the town limits. We wouldn’t be surprised if a third data center is announced in the coming months (we’ve heard rumors).
While Marana voters and the next batch of town council members can only control local decisions like rezoning or offering tax incentives, they’re still actors in this global drama.
Let’s pull back the curtain on that drama, shall we?
Names to know
We’re not trying to give you homework here, but take a moment and look up some of the people we mention today. You won’t regret it.
All of a sudden, you’ll start seeing that the AI industry isn’t some mythical beast. It’s just run by people who are convinced they should make boatloads of money and reshape society.
You may have heard of Sam Altman, Dario Amodei and Jensen Huang, the founders of OpenAI, Anthropic and Nvidia, respectively. They’re the Titans of AI right now who are pumping out new tools and sophisticated computer chips at breakneck speed.
But there are plenty of other people who deserve your attention.
Last year, we asked our resident AI expert, Adi Jagannathan, to put together a list of the “power players” in the world of AI for an edition of the A.I. Agenda.
Each person on Adi’s list is worth checking out, but today we’ll pick a few to keep it manageable.
Adi kicked off his list by highlighting educators who are trying to demystify AI for the public, like Andrej Karpathy. He used to run Tesla’s AI unit and he helped found OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT.
Karpathy is dedicated to helping the public understand AI. He is patient, optimistic and skilled at simplifying very complex topics, like understanding how large language models work.
Another great educator is Fei Fei Lee, a professor at Standord and a pioneer of image recognition in AI. She’s also a brilliant thinker with a unique perspective on the future of AI.
Then there are the bankers, the people who are funneling so much money into AI that developers feel comfortable spending big bucks on data centers.
Masayoshi Son is one of the wealthiest tycoons in the world. As Adi put it, he writes billion-dollar checks like you pay a $20 tip. He is feared and loved and too big to ignore.
His goal right now is to invest heavily in AI and get his company’s value up to $6 trillion in the next decade, per the Wall Street Journal.
And there are the officials that have President Donald Trump’s ear.
David Sacks became famous on the "All-In Podcast” and then served as the AI and crypto czar of the White House. He stepped down from that role in March, but he’s still helping guide the Trump administration’s AI policies.
Beyond the practical needs of money and politics, people like Yuval Noah Harari are trying to think through how AI could impact humanity.
If you’re freaked out by AI, he’s definitely somebody you’ll want to check out.
The data behind data centers
If you’re in the mood for some practical knowledge about the spread of data centers, you won’t be disappointed.
The tool we find most impressive comes from researchers Camila Acosta and George Ingebretsen. They created DataCenterTracker.org, which shows how many projects are in the works, how much money has been invested, which policies local officials are considering and whether local political decisions broke in favor of developers or critics of data centers.
You can see hundreds of data centers planned throughout the country.
They really get into the nitty-gritty. For example, the City of Tucson’s proposed regulations are in there, and so is a judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the No Desert Data Center Coalition.
If you’re a Marana voter who wants to compare notes with another town, this is a great tool.
And we have to mention the good people at Pew Research Center. They’re taking data centers seriously and publish research on data centers every few weeks.
It’s a great way to gauge public opinion, as well as track trends in the data center industry.
For example, did you know that two-thirds of planned data centers are in rural areas or that data centers in the U.S. use as much electricity as Pakistan?
We could go on and on listing people you should look up and new tools you could use, but that’s probably plenty for now.
We’re fascinated by the politics of data centers, so feel free to reach out to Curt or Joe if you have any questions, thoughts or tools you want to share.
In the meantime, happy hunting!
Ciscomani’s latest attack: Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani released a longer, 74-second ad on social media attacking his Democratic rival, JoAnna Mendoza, on trans rights. The ad is essentially a longer version of the “Toxic” ad he released last week, with additional accusations of Mendoza scrubbing her socials to hide statements she made in the past.
Mine approval, and disapproval: The South32 Hermosa mine in the Patagonia Mountains is inching toward full approval by the U.S. Forest Service, Paul Ingram reports for the Tucson Sentinel. The Forest Service signed off on a final record of decision this week, prompting praise from Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, who said critical minerals from the mine will make the U.S. less dependent on foreign countries. Environmental groups were more critical and called the Forest Service’s decision “premature.”
An encouraging trend: Pima County’s teen birth rate has fallen 74% over the past two decades, making it the second-lowest rate in Arizona, Sierra Blaser reports for the Arizona Daily Star. The county’s rate is now below both the state and national averages, according to a new University of Arizona report. Health officials credit the decline to improved education, more access to contraception and partnerships with schools, health providers and community organizations.
And then there were nine: Pima Community College Board member Karla Morales withdrew her application to fill the county treasurer vacancy on Tuesday. We hinted that some candidates would have conflicts if they accepted the position, including the fact that the treasurer handles the tax collection for PCC. However, a new candidate has simultaneously emerged: Don Womack, who submitted his application by the deadline, though his email was caught up in the county’s sometimes aggressive spam filter.
Not a good sign: Officials are asking Mount Lemmon residents and businesses to cut down on water use, Jacqueline Aguilar reports for KGUN. The area is now under Stage 3 water restrictions after the Mount Lemmon Water Improvement District said its water supply dropped below half full. Homes are limited to only 2,400 gallons of water a month, about 80 gallons a day. Going over the limit could mean loss of water service for the rest of the month. The community gets all of its water from natural springs, which are producing much less water than usual.
A good friend would tell you to take a look at your socials before announcing a run for political office — or before being considered for an appointment.
Apparently, no one told Derrick Espadas this before he threw his hat into the ring for county treasurer.
Espadas ran earlier this year for the Arizona Corporation Commission (but didn’t make the ballot) and was vocal about his opinions — including about Project Blue and the two Democrats on the Pima County Board of Supervisors who supported the data center proposal.
One of the Instagram posts from Espadas last year.
We love that authentic passion, but we imagine his meetings with Supervisors Matt Heinz and Rex Scott are going to be… tense.
If Espadas gets the nod, he will be — at the very least — one of the most interesting treasurers since Beth Ford, who flew an American flag upside down outside of her home.