Feed the Machine

The age of the machines vs humans is upon us. Well, the machines vs some humans. “When Microsoft opened a data center in central Mexico last year, nearby residents said power cuts became more frequent. Water outages, which once lasted days, stretched for weeks. The shortages led to school cancellations and the spread of stomach bugs in the town of Las Cenizas, said Dulce María Nicolás, a resident and mother of two. She has considered moving. Víctor Bárcenas, who runs a local health clinic, has stitched up children by flashlight. In December, he was unable to give oxygen to a 54-year-old farmer because the power went out. The patient was rushed to a hospital nearly an hour away. Their experiences are being echoed elsewhere, as an artificial intelligence building boom strains already fragile power and water infrastructures in communities around the world.” NYT (Gift Article): From Mexico to Ireland, Fury Mounts Over a Global A.I. Frenzy.