jasmine sun
@jasminewsun
anthropologist of disruption ✰ contributor @theatlantic ✰ newsletter
1.3K Following 25.5K Followers
absurd that the attack ads against Scott Wiener in the CA senate race are specifically lambasting him for being… too soft on AI
we're going to see a growing gap in the politics/policy of data centers
e.g. Shapiro has to use combative rhetoric to meet the moment — but he's not doing a moratorium or banning subsidies. his standards are comparatively chill
it's a sign that it's politically toxic to seem "soft on AI"
Show more
The data center backlash is a product of two mutually reinforcing dynamics:
1) Locally, it's material concerns (noise, water, electricity) and process failure (NDAs, tax subsidies)
2) Nationally, it's broad anti-corporate and anti-AI sentiment (AI companies are screwing you over to get rich off dumb toys)
Social media + political campaigns amplify hyperlocal grievances into a broad populist movement, and there's no compelling "pro data center faction" to make the opposite case
Show more
