Massive new data centres being built to power AI that many of don't even want

[rurbane]

On the BBC website it states we need more massive data centres to power AI, costing £billions and using high volumes of water to constantly cool the chips down.

When we do searches on our phones and computers it automatically includes an AI search that duplicates all the standard search info unless you block this. Wouldn't it be better if we were given more information on how much power AI uses and how to cut down on unnecessary usage?

I appreciate AI is a valuable tool but it seems all the warnings about environmental damage suddenly don't matter when it comes to this area.

I'm autistic so if I sound a bit like AI I apologise!

Genuinely interested in what other people think.

I agree with you totally. Trillions are being poured into it at a time when we need to be reducing energy demand and transitioning our grid to renewables.

There are some amazing use cases for AI but I don’t see the need for AI summaries on Google etc. But that’s not how capitalism works I guess, even though the entire human economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Planet Earth.

Did you actually bother to read the article.

Carefully

On the BBC website it states we need more massive data centres to power Ai

your thread title states

they are being built

In the article it says that some are alreadybeing built and some are planned in future.

deleted. I was wrong

"The number of data centres in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News."

Many have already been built. More are planned.

Not one has been built
a few are being built
many more planned

You know, I thought about starting a similar thread this morning!

I have seen people do all sorts of silly AI requests on MN and it makes me cringe that we're burning up the planet for this crap.

Am at work so can't post right now other than this. Othersnotsomuch I acknowledge the UK ones are yet to be built but they feel inevitable and I feel as strongly about data centres in other countries, not just the ones in my back yard. It's a global problem.

Bumping in case other people have views on this. If not, I'll accept it's my bugbear.

AI is my field at the moment and I agree with you. While I think it is so important to develop and utilise for healthcare etc, it's so pointless for the trivial things on phones and we should be keeping its use to a minimum, generally. Just seems like it's everywhere at the moment and a lot of the models aren't even very good. It's such a waste of resources.

And I won't even get into its effect on education and critical thinking!

What? The UK has over 500 data centres already.

We’ve just passed a huge one in Longcross in Surrey.

The UK has many data centres already - at the start of 2025 the UK was top 3 in the world (with the US having the most, then Germany, then the UK, followed by China) - although growth is rapid so the order may have changed by now.

I would assume that we're not asked to vote on things like how resources (money, natural, etc.,) are used because world politics revolve around money, and I presume that current money making includes AI stuff that I know nothing about. If I was given a vote, I would always prioritise safety, health and education.

Agree. We dont need it for shit like cats flying broomsticks or dogs playing g guitars.

Use it to benefit us.

Does anyone have any data (the irony) about the data needed for commercial uses of AI vs personal use?

As this thread shows, most people seem to think AI is people using ChatGPT or the Google results (btw - adding ‘-ai’ after your search terms omits AI generated results). I suspect these are a fraction of the actual uses of AI.

That can't possibly be true, I remember first coming across the term when my children were in primary school, they must have built loads since then.

Where are these 500 AI data centres?

It's appalling. These data centres use so much power and water (for cooling). What impact is that going to have on our national grid? our untility bills? our water quality? Already groups are forming in Texas to take one of the AI companies to court for polluting their water because people are coming down with cancers and other horrible diseases. I can't imagine any British water company taking a responsible approach if that same happens here.

I completely agree with you. More electricity needed too https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewd5014wpno

I am on a mission to block AI from my life, but it's not easy. I use google without AI (I've tried other search engines but sadly they don't give the results I need) and avoid using it elsewhere, but it is included in everything these days. I block facebook groups using AI, I never use it to summarise documents or emails, I never make pictures with it, but my god are they pushing it. My work (software development) is using it too, though I'm not personally involved in that side. When I look at Amazon products or TripAdvisor reviews there is always an AI summary now, which I appreciate is not created on the fly just for me, but still, I'd like it to get in the bin. FUCK OFF AI!

I also don't want it to plagiarise music, or write books, or compose shite marketing messages. If you can't be bothered to write it, I can't be bothered to read it. I'd like AI content to be explicitly flagged, so I could block it somehow.

Agree. It is fucking insanity.

One is in Longcross in Surrey, I passed it today. It’s huge.