Vue lecture

The datacenter backlash is bringing the entire political spectrum together – against big tech billionaires

The movement against datacenters is uniting Americans because they perfectly illustrate how a few individuals hold all the power to control decisions that affect our lives

Bryce Gustafson has been knocking on doors in Indiana for more than a decade. The lead organizer with Citizens Action Coalition (CAC), a consumer and environmental organization, he usually encounters a mix of reactions when he’s out canvassing; whatever issue he’s talking about, there’s always at least a few people on the other side. But at a recent festival in the rural town of Monrovia, Indiana, he was struck by an unusual spirit of unity.

He was there about a proposed datacenter, a 550-acre (222-hectare) Google project in this small town of 1,600 people. “I had 50 people I talked to,” Gustafson told me. “Nobody wanted that datacenter in their community. And at least a half a dozen people came up to me to say, ‘Hey, I voted for Trump. What the heck’s he doing, supporting these things?’”

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© Illustration: Ben Hickey/The Guardian

© Illustration: Ben Hickey/The Guardian

© Illustration: Ben Hickey/The Guardian

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Pentagon’s blacklisting of Anthropic was unlawful, US judge rules

Anthropic ​argued designation as ‘supply-chain risk’ could cost billions ‌in lost business ‌and reputational harm

A US judge ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration broke the law when it designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk earlier this year, finding that the government had unlawfully targeted the AI firm for refusing to comply with defense department demands.

“The empty invocation of national security is not a blank check to punish and retaliate against government critics,” Judge Rita Lin said in a 59-page decision.

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© Photograph: Dado Ruvić/Reuters

© Photograph: Dado Ruvić/Reuters

© Photograph: Dado Ruvić/Reuters

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AI slopper in chief: Trump turns to social media amid tough questions

As the US president struggles to end his Iran war, and approval ratings hit new lows, he leans on a familiar gambit

Donald Trump knows the power of an image – of himself, with everyone from Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un to Kim Kardashian. How about George Washington?

As the US president struggles to end his war with Iran, and with his approval ratings hitting the lowest levels of his second term, he has in recent weeks posted a series of AI-generated images of himself alongside key historical American figures.

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© Illustration: Guardian Design/@realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial

© Illustration: Guardian Design/@realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial

© Illustration: Guardian Design/@realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial

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Trump-backed Ken Paxton unveils ‘Texas first’ datacenter plan aimed at ‘negative impact’

The Republican Senate candidate announced the plan with a graphic flagged as ‘Made with AI’

Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Texas, has unveiled plans to tackle the “negative impact” of datacenters amid a growing backlash across the political spectrum.

Paxton, endorsed by Donald Trump but facing a close contest against Democrat James Talarico, posted a “Texas first” datacenter plan on X with a graphic that the social media network flagged as “Made with AI”.

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© Photograph: Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

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No, AI doesn’t mean the end of mathematics – at least not yet | Bruce Schneier and Kasra Rafi

Mathematicians are raising concerns that the technology could kill their profession. But they still have abilities AI doesn’t

Earlier this month, about 40 top mathematicians gathered at OpenAI’s offices to discuss the future of their profession. The meeting was off-the-record, but if recent articles by mathematicians are any guide, it was mostly pretty glum. People fear for their jobs, their careers and the work they love.

We think the contrary view is more likely, at least in the short-term. AI models are nowhere near as capable as experienced academic mathematicians.

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© Photograph: Mlenny/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mlenny/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mlenny/Getty Images

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