Data Centers

 

My general opinion on artificial intelligence is that it is important but over hyped. It is, after all, just software, though surely very good and interesting software. I do think military applications will be very important, and apparently the rulers of China think so too.

There is evidence they are spending a lot of effort and money to slow down the development of AI in this country. It seems to be paying off at least a little. There are protests, scare stories, and demands for moratoria on building data centers all over the country. Some of them seem to be paying off, even here in Texas where the governor is now running scared.

It reminds me a little of the nuclear freeze/ unilateral disarmament movements and protests of the 1980s, with China rather than the Soviet Union as the beneficiary. The players (as opposed to those gulled or scared into going along) seem similar. Some of the older ones may be the same people. The objective is the same type of result - one slowing or stopping developments in this country and helping a foreign enemy gain an advantage. Of course that does not mean that all of those running and coordinating the efforts are agents of the Chinese government. Some likely are, but many probably just consistently see things as the Chinese would prefer, and for some others the dovetailing with Chinese interests may be an unnoticed coincidence. (In my state there is also a faction representing good old country boy Luddite sentiments joining the protests but not sharing much else with the other protesters. I get the impression this is less important elsewhere.)

The attempt in the 80s failed. The one now should too. Greg Abbott should show some nerve here in Texas, and other politicians should do the same in other jurisdictions -. allowing the centers to be built while dealing appropriately with any real difficulties building and operating them might bring.

Origin of the Covid Virus and Epidemic

I do not know how the covid virus originated or first infected people.  If anyone outside of China does know and has evidence to validate his conclusion, he’s not talking in public.  I do have an opinion. I believe the likely hypothesis is that the virus was stored and studied at the virology lab in Wuhan, China and (probably accidentally) released from there.  People at the lab were studying  and working with viruses of the same general sort. The first reported cases were in the area of Wuhan.

 However the main reason for my opinion is the behavior of the Chinese government. That government is a brutal dictatorship with a brutal and unrestrained secret police.  I think one may assume that if the virus came from the lab, Chinese officials either knew it immediately or learned it quickly. If they knew it did not come from the lab, it would have been in the Chinese government’s interest to be free, easy, and open in allowing outside observers and researchers to see whatever they wanted at the lab so that people everywhere would see China was innocent and had nothing to hide. Instead Chinese officials  have done the opposite.

One of China’s main assets in its competition with the United States is its modern day China Lobby of secret agents, ideological fellow travelers, paid flacks, and people with professional or business interests in or connections to China. The Chinese government’s behavior concerning the virus and the epidemic has made it harder for that lobby to function effectively and led to more Americans seeing China as a threat or enemy.  That was predictable, and it strikes me as best explained by the idea that  Chinese officials decided that allowing people to learn what really happened would be worse.

That is not conclusive, but I think it is the way to bet.