The Download: the desert data center boom, and how to measure Earth’s elevations
1 min read
Summary
The race by IT companies to open new data centres to support increasing cloud and AI activities is leading to a boom in construction of such facilities in remote desert locations, where the land is cheap and there is ample space for the required power generation.
However, there are growing concerns about the amount of energy the centres use, which environmental campaigners fear will mean an increase in fossil fuel usage, as well as the lack of scrutiny to which the centres are subject.
Meanwhile, scientists are looking at using a new atomic clock in space to provide an updated standard for measuring elevation, which they believe could provide a more accurate measurement.
MIT Technology Review has published a new podcast focusing on the need for proper evaluation of AI technologies, and how it could be provided via a revived Office of Technology Assessment.