Climate Challenges: Climate change is a critical issue impacting military readiness. Meanwhile, large data centers in Virginia support the AI industry's growth, showing the intersection of technology and environmental challenges.
Climate change poses significant threats to global security and requires proactive measures from the military, as emphasized by former Navy pilot Kai Risdell. While temperatures rise sharply today, the Pentagon has been studying climate change since the 1950s. The discussion also highlights how modern demands, such as the growth of AI, are supported by extensive data centers, particularly in Virginia’s Data Center Alley. These large facilities house massive computer servers essential for new technology. As we adapt to the changing climate and evolving tech landscape, understanding and preparing for these challenges is vital for both environmental and military readiness.
Data Center Growth: Northern Virginia became a data center hub due to its advanced fiber network and tax breaks. While the industry boosts local revenue, residents worry about its substantial resource consumption and environmental impact.
Northern Virginia has become a global hub for data centers due to its early internet development and an extensive fiber network. This attracts tech firms, especially in cloud storage and AI. They benefit from tax exemptions, generating significant state revenue. However, local residents are concerned about the environmental impact, notably the excessive consumption of water and power by these facilities.
Data Centers Impact: Rapid growth of data centers in Virginia raises concerns about power consumption and environmental sustainability, with activists fighting against their expansion on historic lands.
Data centers consume a massive amount of energy, to the tune of 100 megawatts, which is equivalent to the electricity used by about 25,000 homes. As the data center industry continues to grow rapidly, especially in Virginia, there are concerns about the impact on local power grids and the environment. Activists like Schlossberg are worried that this unchecked growth comes at the expense of communities and sustainability, especially when new developments are planned on historically significant lands like the Manassas battlefield. As the debate continues, it raises questions about the balance between technological growth and environmental responsibility, highlighting the importance of considering future generations in our decisions.
Inside the data center capital of the world
Recent Episodes from Marketplace Tech
What do generative AI and social media have in common? A lack of regulation.
This week, we’re talking about how teenagers are using artificial intelligence tools like chatbots and image generators, often without the knowledge of their parents and teachers, according to a recent report from the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Monday we heard about that research from Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of the group. And now we want to home in on a specific piece of what he said: “If you look back at the advent of social media, about 20 years ago, we pretty much blew the regulatory side of that, but also the educating teachers and parents part of that. And we left kids on their own.” So we called up Nathan Sanders, an affiliate of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, who has written about the overlapping risks of AI and social media.
Parents, educators are unaware how their students use generative AI, report finds
As soon as ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, it became clear that artificial intelligence was going to send massive shockwaves through education. And, as with any new technology, young people were likely to adopt it more quickly. Well, now we have some data about that phenomenon. A new report from the non-profit Common Sense Media shows seven in 10 teenagers from ages 13-18 are using generative AI in some way. And Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, told Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino it’s not all about cheating.
Bytes: Week in Review — X’s transparency report, Sam Altman’s “Intelligence Age” and Meta’s celebrity chatbots
It’s perhaps not a big surprise, but OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a very optimistic take on what his company’s technology could mean for the world. He shared his vision of a near future transformed by ever-advancing artificial intelligence systems in a much-discussed blog post earlier this week. Plus, Meta revealed more of its AI plans at its big developer conference including another go at celebrity chatbots. But first, X, formerly Twitter, finally released a new transparency report. It’s the first one since 2022, when Elon Musk bought the platform. And it’s full of data on reported abuse, harassment, how many accounts were suspended and more. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino discussed these topics and more with Anita Ramaswamy, columnist at The Information, on this week’s Tech Bytes: Week in Review.
Commercial space travel is risky business
SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission made history this month with the first-ever commercial spacewalk. It seems space travel is no longer reserved for highly trained government astronauts, but increasingly open to anyone with the funds (and the courage) to try it. But before we all go strapping on our spacesuits, Chris Impey, a professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona, says we need to be clear-eyed about the risks. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke to Impey about those risks and the rewards that might make them worth it.
Inside the data center capital of the world
The infrastructure that enabled Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence boom is not located in California, but rather in northern Virginia. How did the region become the data center capital of the world? And what does it mean for tech companies, the local economy and residents? Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino has the story.
VoteFlare’s mission to upgrade voter communication
There have been a lot of rumors and misinformation recently about voter registration and voter list maintenance, adding confusion to what experts say are secure processes. And while election officials regularly update voter lists, it’s become increasingly important that individuals also keep their voter registration information up to date. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams recently spoke with Josh Visnaw, project manager at a Harvard University initiative called VoteFlare, about the challenges of maintaining accurate voter lists and how VoteFlare is trying to help.
How teenagers can get hooked on sports betting
You might say online gambling has been on a winning streak since a Supreme Court decision in 2018 cleared the way for states to allow sports betting. It’s now legal in 30 states and its influence is hard to miss: online sportsbook companies like DraftKings and FanDuel are on billboards, commercials even college campuses, many of which have made deals with sports betting companies. Yanely Espinal, host of Marketplace’s “Financially Inclined” podcast, recently covered this topic on her show and she explained to Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino how these online betting companies are reeling in younger users.
Tech Bytes – Week in Review: Senate weighs AI regulation, Instagram launches teen accounts and AirPods aid the hard of hearing
This week, Meta announced teen accounts with a slew of new safety features. We’ve also got Apple news to talk about — no, not the latest iPhones or watches, but new functionality for AirPods that basically turns them into hearing aids. First, though, are we ready for artificial general intelligence, or AGI, that could match or exceed human capabilities? It could be a mere one to three years away, according to testimony at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Tuesday. A number of AI insiders spoke, including former Google and OpenAI researchers and Georgetown’s Helen Toner, who explained the stakes. “That technology will be at a minimum extraordinarily disruptive and at a maximum could lead to literal human extinction,” she said. “So I would argue that a wait-and-see approach to policy is not an option.” Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner at Collab Capital, for her take on all this for our weekly segment “Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review.”
Polling response rates are dropping. AI chatbots could be the solution.
In this tense election year, polling is top of mind. But collecting polling data has become harder. It often relies on people actually answering the phone and then speaking frankly to a pollster, both of which are becoming less common. The result has been data that is less predictive, and repeated misses in recent elections have made the public much more skeptical. Polling, it seems, needs an update for the digital age. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke to Bruce Schneier, lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School, who says AI can help.
An appeals court heard arguments on TikTok’s ban-or-sale case. What’s next?
A federal appeals court heard arguments Monday in a case that pits the First Amendment against national security. TikTok sued to block a bipartisan-backed law that will ban the Chinese-owned app in the U.S. by January 19 — unless it finds a U.S. buyer. This week, the government argued the app gives China access to Americans’ sensitive data, as well as the ability to spread propaganda. While TikTok argued it’s been unfairly singled out and that a sale isn’t the only way to address security concerns. TikTok touts 170 million users in the U.S., and that includes both candidates for president. A group of U.S.-based creators have also joined as plaintiffs in this lawsuit. Anupam Chander, professor of law and technology at Georgetown University, walked Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino through the arguments in the case.