Or put out the fire. If we’re lucky, Europe will do what we are apparently unwilling to do even with the builders themselves screaming for guardrails. Although it makes me wonder why Anthropic can convene a meeting with all the major plays and set up their own agreement and sign it. Then present it to congress as done. Good luck with the “think for themselves” idea. The article I read yesterday said college students can’t even finish reading a 20-page paper. Some can’t read, period. Thinking is next level.
Rick I’ve worked in IT for +25 years. About 15 of those were in data centers (now in cyber). I also volunteer for a group tasked with assisting to protect our 16 critical infrastructure sectors, of which energy is one (typically been more focused on cyber shortcomings in the industrial echelon, but grid stability has become exponentially more critical). We used to stress sustainability/ energy efficiency, not this wave. AI will cause more problems to our environment & resources than it will solve. It is not a job creator (fuck off, Kevin O’Leary - they’re mostly lights out operations), and they are threatening the large interstate grids like PJM. What’s more: IT equipment lifecycles are shrinking- the latest & greatest AI chips being purchased for as-yet unfinished data centers will be obsolete in 18-36 months. The waste scale here is astounding. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-doe-emergency-order-curtail-data-centers/820571/. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-grid-flags-risks-data-centers-crypto-sites-fail-voltage-tests-2026-06-05/
Rick's powers of persuasion can be devastating. There is nothing here that can be refuted, but a fair amount of it is as-yet untested.
Because of the realities of economics and human nature, this thing is bringing us to an ultimate Prisoners' Dilemma, and without a way out. The only solution to the Dilemma is to *not play*, and that option has been obviated by the very nature of the problem.
All this to say, it will run its course. The world will be fundamentally changed. The human race will be wiped out, or greatly stunted, or there will be some other outcome (possibly even positive) that we cannot imagine. We are the average citizens in 1900 viewing the 'illustrated newspaper' cartoons depicting future steam-powered automata and winged bat-suits for commuting to work. We're looking at it with bemused confusion, not quite certain that any of it has anything to do with our own lives, let alone any idea where it's all going.
There's a lot of bullshit mixed liberally into our perceptions of what's going on. Humans are motivated by infinite reasons to lie, and so will. But taking comfort in the prevalence of the bullshit is misguided, even *if* 'Artificial General Intelligence* is not achievable in the real world, the power and flexibility of existing LLM technology has been demonstrated, autonomous vehicles already prowl our streets, the job of paralegal (just one example) is evaporating fast. We're strapped into a rocket sled towards a future we cannot even imagine, there will be no stops.
The world may not hit pause, but US voters are certainly pulling the plug on AI data centers. And local governments can see which way the wind is blowing and are putting up roadblocks.
There's no reason for consumers to subsidize multi-billionaires and trillionaires.
Thank you for the enlightening article, Mr. Wilson. I hope they stop AI from stealing our elections around this country. It should be made unconstitutional. Trump is busy yelling about the California elections not realizing his candidate will meet with Becerra. I guess a U.S. attorney told him it was okay.
You absolutely always have to question *anything or anyone* who tells you what you want to hear. It’s almost as if the crankier and more disagreeable the voice, the more sure you can be it’s a human voice, not an AI voice.
There is someone I follow on X who writes informative, engaging, and dryly funny articles. I later noticed someone else who writes authoritatively on entirely different and more serious topics, but whose voice is so similar that I wondered if it was the same person. They are both British, so I thought it must have been a style that they had both been taught. I now look for it and am noticing the same sort of what I think of as “staccato” thought patterns and writing structure showing up elsewhere. There has to be an AI hand (claw) in it.
A great piece, Rick! You hit it right on the head, and as A1 becomes more and more a powerful tool in politics, we’re in deep trouble. We’re already in trouble with too many people not recognizing reality or discerning truth vs spin or lies in an effort to manipulate elections, but thus brings it to a level beyond anything we’re capable of controlling unless an intervention is demanded. Thanks for your excellent post!
I understand the EU is implementing an AI disclaimer on all synthetic products. I am not sure how this will stop the process. I do not think education is sufficient. Still mulling options
Scared of AI fakery? With CBS and 60 Minutes ready to blow the whistle on any wrongdoing?
Wilson’s AI fake defense is just to educate people to be suspicious of all assertions. How is that going, MAGA America? AI will just increase their certainty about their party lines/lies.
You can’t ask humans to critique information that solidifies their misinformed biases. What—me wrong about them?
How else to explain 35 percent of the voters still thinking this administration is working for them—despite the clear corruption, war profiteering, induced inflation, and disregard for our medical and environmental safety? And, by the way, how is our national security being protected?
If anything, the more we learn about the prevalence of “misinformation” the more we learn how effective it is. Lies work. As Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” What Twain did not foresee was the audience of billions of people ingesting these lies simultaneously and continuously. Like drones, the sheer volume of intentionally wrong information overwhelms our defenses—even if we are open to challenging conflicting claims.
Sorry, humans. You may walk upright, but you will never think upright. Because your sources know you better than you are willing to know—or care about—truths you do not like.
Take another bite of that juicy grilled steak. You know, our doctors say it’s really good for your heart.
Or put out the fire. If we’re lucky, Europe will do what we are apparently unwilling to do even with the builders themselves screaming for guardrails. Although it makes me wonder why Anthropic can convene a meeting with all the major plays and set up their own agreement and sign it. Then present it to congress as done. Good luck with the “think for themselves” idea. The article I read yesterday said college students can’t even finish reading a 20-page paper. Some can’t read, period. Thinking is next level.
Rick I’ve worked in IT for +25 years. About 15 of those were in data centers (now in cyber). I also volunteer for a group tasked with assisting to protect our 16 critical infrastructure sectors, of which energy is one (typically been more focused on cyber shortcomings in the industrial echelon, but grid stability has become exponentially more critical). We used to stress sustainability/ energy efficiency, not this wave. AI will cause more problems to our environment & resources than it will solve. It is not a job creator (fuck off, Kevin O’Leary - they’re mostly lights out operations), and they are threatening the large interstate grids like PJM. What’s more: IT equipment lifecycles are shrinking- the latest & greatest AI chips being purchased for as-yet unfinished data centers will be obsolete in 18-36 months. The waste scale here is astounding. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-doe-emergency-order-curtail-data-centers/820571/. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-grid-flags-risks-data-centers-crypto-sites-fail-voltage-tests-2026-06-05/
Rick's powers of persuasion can be devastating. There is nothing here that can be refuted, but a fair amount of it is as-yet untested.
Because of the realities of economics and human nature, this thing is bringing us to an ultimate Prisoners' Dilemma, and without a way out. The only solution to the Dilemma is to *not play*, and that option has been obviated by the very nature of the problem.
All this to say, it will run its course. The world will be fundamentally changed. The human race will be wiped out, or greatly stunted, or there will be some other outcome (possibly even positive) that we cannot imagine. We are the average citizens in 1900 viewing the 'illustrated newspaper' cartoons depicting future steam-powered automata and winged bat-suits for commuting to work. We're looking at it with bemused confusion, not quite certain that any of it has anything to do with our own lives, let alone any idea where it's all going.
There's a lot of bullshit mixed liberally into our perceptions of what's going on. Humans are motivated by infinite reasons to lie, and so will. But taking comfort in the prevalence of the bullshit is misguided, even *if* 'Artificial General Intelligence* is not achievable in the real world, the power and flexibility of existing LLM technology has been demonstrated, autonomous vehicles already prowl our streets, the job of paralegal (just one example) is evaporating fast. We're strapped into a rocket sled towards a future we cannot even imagine, there will be no stops.
Kill your TV ( as they used to say in the last century), now apply it to your phone and home computer
The world may not hit pause, but US voters are certainly pulling the plug on AI data centers. And local governments can see which way the wind is blowing and are putting up roadblocks.
There's no reason for consumers to subsidize multi-billionaires and trillionaires.
I like AI but not all of it.
Thank you for the enlightening article, Mr. Wilson. I hope they stop AI from stealing our elections around this country. It should be made unconstitutional. Trump is busy yelling about the California elections not realizing his candidate will meet with Becerra. I guess a U.S. attorney told him it was okay.
What a scenario! There’s no free ride.
Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks Rick. Scary shit indeed.
OT: Earlier I suggested that errbody call Ivanka Sweetie.
I think I prefer calling her my little squish muppet.
I adore completely offensive terms of endearment ;)
You absolutely always have to question *anything or anyone* who tells you what you want to hear. It’s almost as if the crankier and more disagreeable the voice, the more sure you can be it’s a human voice, not an AI voice.
There is someone I follow on X who writes informative, engaging, and dryly funny articles. I later noticed someone else who writes authoritatively on entirely different and more serious topics, but whose voice is so similar that I wondered if it was the same person. They are both British, so I thought it must have been a style that they had both been taught. I now look for it and am noticing the same sort of what I think of as “staccato” thought patterns and writing structure showing up elsewhere. There has to be an AI hand (claw) in it.
A great piece, Rick! You hit it right on the head, and as A1 becomes more and more a powerful tool in politics, we’re in deep trouble. We’re already in trouble with too many people not recognizing reality or discerning truth vs spin or lies in an effort to manipulate elections, but thus brings it to a level beyond anything we’re capable of controlling unless an intervention is demanded. Thanks for your excellent post!
I understand the EU is implementing an AI disclaimer on all synthetic products. I am not sure how this will stop the process. I do not think education is sufficient. Still mulling options
Scared of AI fakery? With CBS and 60 Minutes ready to blow the whistle on any wrongdoing?
Wilson’s AI fake defense is just to educate people to be suspicious of all assertions. How is that going, MAGA America? AI will just increase their certainty about their party lines/lies.
You can’t ask humans to critique information that solidifies their misinformed biases. What—me wrong about them?
How else to explain 35 percent of the voters still thinking this administration is working for them—despite the clear corruption, war profiteering, induced inflation, and disregard for our medical and environmental safety? And, by the way, how is our national security being protected?
If anything, the more we learn about the prevalence of “misinformation” the more we learn how effective it is. Lies work. As Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” What Twain did not foresee was the audience of billions of people ingesting these lies simultaneously and continuously. Like drones, the sheer volume of intentionally wrong information overwhelms our defenses—even if we are open to challenging conflicting claims.
Sorry, humans. You may walk upright, but you will never think upright. Because your sources know you better than you are willing to know—or care about—truths you do not like.
Take another bite of that juicy grilled steak. You know, our doctors say it’s really good for your heart.
Scars me.
I think you meant scares, but somehow scars works too