Somehow I don't see arguments comparing powering AI with producing food to go over well with them.

Many opponents to AI do not view the tech as having a net benefit. Comparing it to food production would serve to make you look more the fool to them despite their claims about water consumption frequently being wacky.

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denkmoon 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Like all food production has equal merit. Growing almonds in the desert is national food security obviously.

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phowat 8 hours ago | parent [-]

Since this is HN let's be factually correct. Almond production is irrelevant in water usage. The bulk of it is going to animal agriculture.

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3eb7988a1663 7 hours ago | parent [-]

I am finding that 42% of California water is agriculture and 8% of that is for almonds. 3% of state water usage on a luxury nut might not be moving the needle that much, but it does feel wasteful for a state that is perpetually hovering on drought conditions.

	▲	sitkack 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Much of that water comes out of a collapsing acquifer.

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JuniperMesos 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Right; anti-data-center sentiment is really a way of attacking AI as a technology; arguments about the water or power use of data centers are just an excuse.

	▲	rockskon 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Well, to be fair, the public has been going through a multi-year forced beta-test of AI all while CEOs keep going on national television and posting on social media how there will be mass unemployment because of AI. To say nothing of all the companies that have (and soon will) close up shop due to increased prices from the global memory shortage unrelated to the proclaimed job-replacing benefits of AI. And let's not forget many of the remaining independent websites on the Internet closing up shop due to being unable to afford the substantial increase in hosting costs resulting from aggressive scrapers getting data to keep training AI on. Or the massive improvement in bots and click-fraud due to AI, pushing an increasing number of companies to embrace heinous practices such as mandatory facial recognition for users to be allowed to engage in socialization. Or the increased electricity prices already realized around much of the country due to AI both so much of the existing grid's supply and requiring expensive upgrades to the infrastructure - the latter of which is frequently paid for by taxpayers. All for the wondrous promises of unproven future capabilities. The real mystery to me is how it's a mystery to so many people why there's a large and enduring anti-AI sentiment.

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recursive 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Plenty of alfalfa and corn aren't going to food production. And much of those the remaining are not efficient.

https://youtu.be/XusyNT_k-1c

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analognoise 8 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Everyone should find a comparison to food - which people need to live - as stupid?