An ex-programmer’s devastating take on AI data centers is going viral — and it’s hard to ignore

A local planning meeting speech is going viral for exposing the real cost of AI infrastructure

13 Apr 2026, 16:30 by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/graham-barlow · TechRadar

Features By Graham Barlow published 13 April 2026

(Image credit: Reddit)

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Become a Member in Seconds

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Explore

An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter

A former programmer’s anti-data-center speech is going viral because it cuts through AI hype and focuses on local costs
Ohio has become a hotspot for backlash over data centers, with concerns over power, water, land use, and tax breaks
The bigger question is whether communities are being asked to sacrifice too much for too little in return

It’s not every day that a city council planning meeting goes viral, but a recent session in Ravenna, Ohio, has done exactly that.

The reason is a speech by ex-programmer, Mr. Hollingsworth, who delivers one of the cleanest and most articulate arguments yet against the construction of a massive AI data center.

The clip has racked up 49 thousand likes on Reddit, with one user commenting, “God Damn that was good. Seriously this should be used as a script in every county these corporations are hustling.”

Article continues below

A well-articulated argument against a new data center in Ohio from r/interestingasfuck

Common arguments against AI

Most of the common arguments against AI concern the dangers presented by chatbots from hallucinations that provide incorrect answers or the psychological dangers of believing the sycophantic leanings that most chatbots have.

Hollingsworth’s objection was about the more physical needs of AI — the infrastructure and the potential damage it does to the environment. He’s talking about land, water, power, tax breaks, and how few jobs a giant data center may actually offer to the local economy.

“We are being asked to drain our reservoirs so a chatbot can write a poem, or so a sheriff can generate a picture of himself standing next to Bigfoot”, Hollingsworth says. It’s a deliberately absurd image, and that’s the point.

Hollingsworth starts his talk by challenging the idea that modern-day data centers can operate as a ‘closed loop’ system, which doesn't waste water. ‘Closed loop’ uses circulating coolant through sealed systems, eliminating the need for constant water replenishment. Hollingsworth is skeptical that the forever chemicals produced in the cooling process won’t eventually find their way back into the water table, no matter how many studies show otherwise.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors