Will Lawrence unveils plan to pause data center construction and AI development
Democratic congressional candidate Will Lawrence unveiled a two-step plan in Mason, Michigan, advocating for a federal pause on new data center construction and advanced AI development. He also proposed taxing the industry to fund a New Deal-style jobs program. Lawrence raised concerns about job displacement, energy costs, property values, and environmental impacts caused by current tech development.
Democratic congressional candidate Will Lawrence unveiled a two-step plan regarding AI development and data center construction during an event in Mason, Michigan. He criticized tech billionaires for "bulldozing towns and farms" and for threatening Michigan jobs, escalating energy costs, decreasing property values, and impacting air and water quality. Lawrence expressed distrust in AI developers' promises, noting their "playbook" of promising one thing and doing another, and highlighted expert warnings about potential existential threats posed by advanced AI models.
The first step of Lawrence's plan calls for an immediate federal pause on new data center construction and all new advanced AI development. This pause would be followed by the establishment of a "social compact" to regulate this technology. The second step proposes taxing the AI and data center industry to fund a New Deal-style jobs program, aiming to ensure stable careers for those potentially displaced by AI. Lawrence emphasized the urgency of having a plan in place before millions are put out of work, citing concerns about the erosion of basic skills like critical thinking, reading, and writing due to rapid AI advancement.