U.S. Senator Dave McCormick spoke in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania Press Club on May 18, encouraging Commonwealth stakeholders to learn about an exhilarating period in human history. (Photo: Whitney Downard/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
Comparing it to the revolutionary impact of the printing press in the 14th century, U.S. Senator Dave McCormick praised artificial intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for change in contemporary life, driving social change at a pace previously unseen.
“We are at a moment of the most significant change in our entire lives,” McCormick told the Pennsylvania Press Club on Monday. “I would go so far as to say, and it is an important statement, that this is the most significant moment of change in human history.”
He urged the gathered leaders to seize the moment, saying the Keystone State is in a “unique position to be at the forefront at this moment” and benefit from it, citing the state’s natural resources as a way to enhance artificial intelligence.
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Data centers are like warehouse distribution centers, but they contain thousands of computers that can exploit as much electricity as a miniature city. These computers support streaming services and e-commerce, but are increasingly needed to provide the processing power required for artificial intelligence.
But their construction has become an increasingly controversial issue for local elected officials, despite support from officials like McCormick.
McCormick also pointed to opportunities for Pennsylvania in defense and life sciences, saying the two industries are poised to be reinvented as technology adapts.
“We have to come to terms with it, we have to build on it. We have to ensure that Pennsylvania remains at the forefront of the most changing and exciting times in human history,” McCormick said.
We’re doubling down on artificial intelligence
The first-term Republican described the technology as inevitable, noting both advantages and disadvantages. He said he was using “all” of the AI models available and encouraged his employees to do the same “to just try to go faster.”
When asked about his sanguine view, he replied: “It’s a bit like saying, ‘Are you optimistic about the sun rising or not?'”
“The sun is rising. And now the question is, ‘How will we navigate it?’ I really think this offers tremendous potential for Pennsylvania,” he continued. “So I’ve tried to make sure that if this happens, we can seize the moment and make sure Pennsylvanians get the most out of it.”
Energy and technology companies have said they are investing in Pa. 90 billion dollars. What will they build?
Last summer, McCormick chaired a summit on artificial intelligence in Pittsburgh that he and others announced investments worth over USD 90 billion focused on power generation assets, data centers and workforce development in the commonwealth.
By this time, public opinion had deteriorated. Over 70% Americans oppose the local construction of AI data centers, according to a Gallup poll released earlier this month. Half of those opposed to building the facilities cited that they consume resources, particularly water demand and electricity demand, which some say threatens the state’s energy supply.
Some respondents who oppose the centers have a negative opinion of artificial intelligence or have particular concerns about its impact on humanity.
McCormick said some of the AI fatigue can be attributed to anxiety as well as “misinformation” around data centers.
He compared it to conversations about fracking from more than a decade ago, stating that “most people realize that fracking is clean, relatively non-invasive to the environment, and has (a) huge economic benefits.”
Other studies have shown that emissions from liquefied natural gas are approx 30% worse than coal and environmentalists criticize the state continued dependence on natural gas based on renewable energy such as solar or wind energy.
McCormick said municipalities should determine where and how data centers are built, but he touted the thousands of momentary construction jobs needed to build the centers. Less is needed to manage them once they are built. He called data centers a “boon” for tax revenues.
Water can be kept in a “closed loop” system, he added, so it can be recycled, although he said data centers should “provide more energy than they consume.”
“The first generation of data centers didn’t have all the parameters figured out. I think the next generation will,” McCormick said. “And I think when communities see it… most will say yes.”
