💧⚡🖥️ A deep-dive on data centers: My interview with AI researcher Andy Masley

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers in America and around the world:

With the massive buildout of data centers has come an equally massive backlash. They’ve been blamed for higher electricity bills, taking up too much water, and pushing out farmland. All this has led to a public outcry and efforts against their construction.

But how much of the criticism is warranted? Has one of America’s fastest-growing industries become a political scapegoat?

Today on Faster, Please!—The Podcast, I am joined by Andy Masley, an independent writer supported by Coefficient Giving who deep dives into AI research. Recently, he has focused on data centers at his great newsletter and separating facts from myths surrounding them.

We discuss what the evidence actually says about data centers’ impact on water, land, and electricity prices—and where Andy thinks people get the facts wrong. We also discuss AI art, Waymo, and America’s willingness to embrace technological change.

In This Episode:

* AI Art as Curation (0:37)

* Waymo and Technological Disruption (4:43)

* The Case for Data Centers (9:14)

* Water and Land (15:41)

* Data Centers and Electricity (21:41)

* The Data Center Backlash (28:50)