AI and Data Centers

We face profound challenges related to the more widespread usage of AI and the construction of data centers to support it.

AI, while having tremendous potential to solve complex problems and increase productivity, will, in my opinion, be one of the most disruptive technologies ever developed and potentially one of the most dangerous.

Safeguards need to be implemented at a national and international level, but there are things we can do at the state level as well. 

Possibilities include

• Putting strict restrictions on the use of AI in law enforcement and surveillance
• Strictly regulating the use of AI by health insurers for prior authorizations
• Requiring disclosure of AI use by businesses to consumers
•  Requiring employers who eliminate jobs and replace them with AI to continue to provide a salary and retraining reimbursement for a period of 3 to 5 years

While this is not an exhaustive list, it gives us a place to start.

Regarding data centers, the only step taken by the state government has been a sales tax break used as an incentive for companies to build in Wisconsin. We have not developed a comprehensive plan to regulate this industry and have left local governments and communities to fend for themselves. This needs to change. 

I would support the following

• A 12-month moratorium on new data center construction
• Development by the state of the required studies needed before construction is started. These would include (but are not limited to) power usage, power generation, water usage, testing of discharged water, and pollution impacts. Localities could certainly add more as they saw fit.
• A legal requirement for the company to restore the environment to its previous condition should a data center close
• Prohibition of non-disclosure agreements between data center companies and local governments.

I feel that local communities should have the final say on whether such a facility should be built, but the state should require that communites have this information available before deciding.