Hosts Jessie, Opollo and Barbara talked about the emergence of AI, and how it is driving the need for data centers to house the high performance computer capabilities that that will provide massive datasets for training and inference, particularly to support Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL). These data centers require large land areas, reliable energy sources to operate the computers and maintain them at cool temperatures, and water for cooling the machines. Environmental concerns include the production of the energy, and issues of noise, water and land pollution. Rare earth metals are needed to power the semiconductors, magnets, cooling systems and high speed storage, as well as access to transportation. There has been significant public resistance to data centers “in their backyards,” but sadly less outcry over on the the drives of AI and the data centers: surveillance.
AI has transformed surveillance cameras from passive recording devices into intelligent systems capable of real-time threat detection, behavior analysis, and proactive security management, going beyond license plate readers to all vehicle readers and in some cases, face recognition. Ethan Waters joined us during the second hour to talk about the Flock cameras used in Savannah. He is a member of Flockout Savannah, a group that is questioning not only the use of cameras to capture information without cause (subpoena, arrest warrant, probably cause) on ordinary people but also where and how that data is being shared. To find out more about the use (and perhaps abuse) of Flock cameras in Savannah, go to their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/flockoutsav. You can also email the group at flockoutsav@proton.me.
A reminder that the Quality Monitoring & Truckcounting public meeting will happen on August 13 and 14 at 9 am at the MPC building in Savannah.,
- 12:00pm Pawlicki-FInding Happiness Episode 72 RULES by Robert Pawlicki on FInding Happiness
