Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most significant economic developments in modern American history, comparable really only to the rise of the internet in the 1990s. It has the potential to significantly improve our lives, from the way we work to the way we learn and live. Generations of Americans and Utahns could further benefit substantially from AI; these benefits will be felt not just today but also for generations to come.
However, to power this future where America and Utah lead the world in AI innovation, we need the requisite infrastructure, and that means data centers. Data centers are critical to powering AI and are already being built across the country, including here in Utah. They are economic drivers, creating high-paying construction and long-term tech jobs while also ensuring tech development and innovation can occur in our state and not just the coasts.
Some have raised concerns about these data centers, but once you dive deeper into the issue, you see that a vast majority of these concerns are simply not true. For example, as RealClear Energy recently noted, data centers can actually reduce electricity costs for residents through efficiencies made possible by AI, giving a really interesting example from Georgia. These data centers not only frequently utilize recycled water but also often generate new energy and utility opportunities within their communities, which benefit the data center, the residents and businesses of all sizes. It is a win-win-win.
These data centers are not created in a vacuum, and that is why major tech companies, such as Google, work closely with local communities when building data centers. For example, they work to create educational, economic and energy opportunities in the communities where their data centers are currently located and will be located in the future. In essence, they want to become part of the community and contribute to it, ensuring their work benefits all parties involved in some way.
Utah needs to lead in AI; otherwise, we will fall behind, our economy will suffer and potential job gains will never occur. Our governor and state leaders have done a good job putting us on the right path, but we must, from our state government to our local governments, stay the course with AI and lead. We need to continue to keep heavy-handed government regulations out of our AI landscape and be as welcoming as possible for AI investments.