Artificial intelligence is, above anything else, a weapon as critical to national security as nuclear bombs, stealth aircraft and ground troops.
AI is piloting drones in the Russia-Ukraine war. AI analyzes imagery to identify Iranian targets for U.S. missiles. Soon, AI will maneuver infantry robots and other machines that experts call Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
“Let us call them what they are: killer robots,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Monday in calling for an international ban
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Fat chance. Inflicting maximum casualties at minimal cost is what war is all about
AI data centers provide the brains for these and other military AI programs, which defenders argue are necessary for national security. Gov. Greg Abbott made the same point — after receiving $1.6 million in campaign donations from the AI industry — when he welcomed hundreds of new data centers to Texas with a billion dollars a year in tax incentives
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TOMLINSON’S TAKE:Greg Abbott is distancing himself from data centers. Is it just a show for his reelection bid?
Google is investing $40 billion in new data centers between Dallas and Amarillo, while Facebook is spending $10 billion outside of El Paso because land is cheap and connections to the electricity and communications grids are available. But a UT Texas Politics Project poll found that 56% of Texans oppose data centers in their community
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Gov. Windvane always goes where the polls point him. Last week, Abbott called for a ban on new data centers in conservative communities where they make sense economically and geographically
“We must prohibit them from building AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods,” Abbott said during a campaign event
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller reiterated his demand that Abbott call a special legislative session “before data center expansion becomes irreversible.”
Bashing data centers may be good politics, but it’s bad for national defense. A middle ground exists where Texas develops critical technology and creates high-paying jobs without allowing Silicon Valley billionaires to exploit the public
AI is like fruit
AI generically describes a family of technologies, in which different models compare like apples, oranges and mangosteens. There are thousands of different AI types, each with its own flavor and special needs. The AI that completes your sentences is very different from models that can break through cybersecurity defenses
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Yet all models require data centers filled with noisy servers powered by electricity and cooled with water. How much noise, power and moisture vary widely, but rest assured that greater efficiency comes with a higher price that AI companies do not want to pay
The world’s most highly valued AI companies are losing billions of dollars every year building server capacity while selling access to their models for less than they cost to produce. Even with a discount, corporate customers are already questioning whether the $1 they spend on AI actually produces a benefit worth more than $1
Therefore, AI companies want the same discounted electricity, water and property taxes that states offer to other large industrial users
Unfortunately for AI, the average Texan does not want to subsidize billionaires who are building an industry that will drive up water and electricity rates while rendering them or their children unemployable and hurting the environment. Only fools believe Texas trillionaire Elon Musk when he says AI will “make work optional” and we’ll all receive a universal basic income paid for by Big Tech
Military City, USA
Big corporations love government contracts, especially with federal agencies that have recession-proof budgets connected to defense, intelligence and law enforcement. A big federal contract can generate guaranteed profits for decades
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Generals and admirals look at the Russian war on Ukraine and realize their Cold War-era weapons and tactics are increasingly obsolete. Iran’s resilience validated those fears. AI companies promise a solution and see national security contracts as a way to stay out of bankruptcy
Military bases and federal facilities have powered San Antonio’s economy since 1845. The U.S. Air Force’s intelligence operations and the National Security Agency facilities in San Antonio are AI power-users. Abbott named San Antonio as the headquarters for Texas Cyber Command, which also relies heavily on artificial intelligence data centers
The intelligence, surveillance, cyberwarfare and data processing missions present a unique opportunity to create jobs, inspire entrepreneurs and spur growth in San Antonio. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones sees an opening to make San Antonio a tech hub and has created a task force to promote AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and space manufacturing. What they all have in common is the need for massive data centers
Instead of making campaign promises, Texas politicians need to do the unpopular and difficult work of striking a balance that protects residents and the country. They must force data centers tobors. But government must allow construction where it makes sense
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Our national security rests on maintaining an edge in artificial intelligence. But it also relies on leaders who do what’s best for the country, even when it’s hard. Abbott’s pandering fails on every count
Award-winning opinion writer Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about money, politics and life in Texas. Sign up for his “Tomlinson’s Take” newsletter at houstonchronicle.com/tomlinsonnewsletter or expressnews.com/tomlinsonnewsletter
