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This feels like some solid analysis. There's lots of reasons to worry about or object to AI, but I've not found much evidence that the terrifying environmental impact of datacentres is the slam-dunk some people reckon it is.

James O'Malley@jamesomalley.co.uk

The Guardian’s data centre reporting is needlessly hysterical (FREE TO READ!) takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/the-guardi...

takes.jamesomalley.co.ukThe Guardian’s data centre reporting is needlessly hystericalLess talk, more context.

10/9/26, 8:25 am1 repost6 likes

Mark Horrell

@markhorrell.bsky.social

10 Sept

Good article. Also worth noting that, while connected, fear of AI and fear of data centres are separate issues that can easily get conflated.

Dominika Noworolska

@dominikanow.bsky.social

10 Sept

I think for me the core argument has always been that all of those billions going into the data centers & LLM development in general - without even a clear path to profitability or the promised ‘productivity’ boom - could/should be going to climate adaptations that we ‘can’t afford’. But hey ho.

Dominika Noworolska

@dominikanow.bsky.social

10 Sept

So it’s sort of irrelevant by how much they’ll make things worse exactly etc. if systemically they’re a gamble on a deux ex machina solutions and a distraction from avoiding the more probable environmental critical mass of catastrophies (which will harm the economy anyway, even if that’s paramount)