Big Tech FREAKS After Activists KILL Data Center

Charlie Katville, leveraging his local journalism experience and connections, organized a successful nine-day campaign against Amzac Capital Management's proposed 27,000 sq ft data center in New Brunswick. The effort involved building a coalition with Rutgers University students, state environmental groups, and directly engaging affected residents through door-knocking, leading to the project's cancellation and a commitment to build a park.

Katville stated he 'knew the right people to contact and I knew the right information to share. And in those nine days, we were able to build a coalition with students at Rutgers University, environmental groups around the state, and the local people who were going to be most affected.' He also mentioned 'knocking on doors in the Lincoln Gardens neighborhood to warn people that this proposal is coming up.'

The New Brunswick victory is indicative of a broader national trend where local communities are increasingly pushing back against data center developments. A heat map report showed 25 data centers were canceled last year due to local opposition, a fourfold increase from the previous year, demonstrating a growing 'zeitgeist' against these projects.

The host cited a report: 'A public record shows 25 data centers scrubbed last year after local push back. That was four times as many as 2024.'

Activists refute the tech industry's claims of significant job creation and economic benefits from data centers. They argue that these facilities create very few permanent jobs and that the AI industry is known for replacing human workers. Furthermore, they criticize developers for making vague or misleading promises about tax revenue and community contributions.

Katville stated, 'these facilities have you know very few permanent jobs and in fact the artificial intelligence industry is famous for replacing human workers with computer technology.' He also dismissed developer numbers as 'kind of made up' and highlighted that the developer 'never showed up in New Brunswick to explain what they wanted to do or why.'

The host and guest discuss Sam Altman's controversial comparison of AI's energy needs to human energy consumption, framing it as an 'anti-human ideology.' Activists perceive this perspective as demonstrating a 'coldness' towards society and a prioritization of technology growth over human sustainability, ultimately driven by a desire for wealth and control.

The host played a clip of Sam Altman comparing energy costs for AI vs. humans (10:13). Katville responded, 'folks who think of it in those terms are demonstrating the coldness that they have towards society as we know it.' He added, 'it's about money... They want to control everything, including information, including money, including water, including our, you know, electricity.'