Vulnerable People and Places Blog

  Artificial intelligence has become part of our everyday lives. Whether you're using ChatGPT, asking Siri a question, or searching on Google, AI seems almost effortless. But what most people don't realize is that every AI response depends on massive data centers working around the clock. Data centers are large buildings filled with thousands of computers that store and process information. They make AI possible, but they also use enormous amounts of electricity and water to keep their systems running. As AI continues to grow, companies are building more and more data centers, which can place extra pressure on local communities and the environment. Many people support these projects because they bring investment, new technology, and some jobs. Others are concerned about the increased energy use, water consumption, noise, and the impact on nearby neighborhoods. These concerns have led to growing debates about where data centers should be built and how companies can reduce th...

  “The Cloud Lives Here: Oregon’s Data Center Boom and the Hidden Cost Behind Every Click” Move aside, Silicon Valley, California—Oregon has entered the conversation. For decades, California’s Silicon Valley has been recognized as the global center of technology innovation, home to some of the world’s largest technology companies and groundbreaking ideas. But the future of technology isn’t just being built in California anymore. Across the United States—and increasingly around the world—the conversation has shifted toward massive data centers. These enormous facilities have quietly become the backbone of our digital society, powering everything from streaming movies and online banking to cloud storage, artificial intelligence, and the apps we use every day. For many of us, the idea of giant computer networks isn’t new. We’ve watched movies since the 1980s and 1990s that imagined supercomputers, artificial intelligence, and f...

       When thinking about the coming generations, it is difficult not to be concerned about their brain development. As technology continues to advance, less and less books are printed out while less and less parenting takes place. This is due to the rise of whats called the  iPad Baby . The iPad Baby is a small child that has difficulty putting their technological screens down- they have difficulty with boredom and with unlimited access to technology, they will always reach for a screen for stimulation. The iPad Baby occurs due to the belief that if a child is stimulated through electronics, they will likely be more easily occupied and thus able to entertain themself. Considering that some parents install educational tools onto portable screens, this is an attractive option for parents. So why is it damaging?         Researchers have found that,  “Screens can improve education and learning; however, too much time spent in front of...

  Tech companies are making money without selling you anything. If they aren't selling you anything and they are making money, they must be selling someone something. How else are they earning cash? They are selling you. More specifically, they are selling your attention. You've probably heard the phrase time is money. Your time and attention are a valuable commodity. You go to work and get paid, sometimes hourly or by salary. Mainly, money is closely related to time.  If you are using a free online service, consider that your actions and attention may be sold for profit. Recently, this has become more widely known. People don't really care that much. I frequently hear "they already have all my data." To be fair, it's true. They already have a profile on you.  Time as a commodity is not as easy to quantify as a physical product like toilet paper or a car. What makes it quantifiable is the massive amounts of data collected from your usage of these platforms. Th...

As a student graphic designer, the future has never felt so uncertain for me. For designers who are in similar positions to me, it feels as if we’re slowly being phased out and replaced with AI. Everywhere in the industry, it seems as if firms are beginning to use AI for once was considered to be “intern” or “entry level” work. Local businesses have also opted for AI-generated designs to cut costs, jeopardizing the design freelance market. Even when talking to established designers and creatives, they advocate for AI’s usage, making it seem as if there is no regard for the environment in our future. It makes me think: is there anything left for us? How do we move forward ethically, with the industry reshaping itself so rapidly? I’ve recently had the opportunity to speak to multiple creatives around Portland within the design community, including a copywriter who has worked for the likes of Nike, Adidas, and many other brands based around the Portland area. We discussed how AI is a too...

  The rise of AI has been argued to be the logical step in society’s technological advancements; looking at popular movies, books, and T.V shows it’s easy to see why. Westworld , The Terminator , Star Trek , the list goes on in science fiction. The future is robots and AI and everything automated, we’ve seen it on our screens.  But unlike many of the technological advancements we’ve made, like automobiles, the internet, or phones, AI isn’t filling a needed gap. Cars filled the need for faster transportation. The internet filled the need for an information hub and archive. Phones filled the need for quick communication. What is AI filling the need for? One could argue it’s filling the need for time; that AI takes on busy work for people so they can have more time. Yet so much of AI that’s used everyday isn’t for menial tasks, it’s been used to replace creative jobs entirely, or to create fake videos or photos. While it’s had its uses in some areas, AI isn’t a necessary technolo...

In an age of already dwindling resources, why do AI data centers reach for freshwater to cool their systems? AI data centers and their servers generate tons of data, and along with it heat. To cool down their systems, most companies use freshwater cooling towers to lower temperatures. But this single-use practice with freshwater poses a problem to communities that need drinking water. Once the water cools the servers, it evaporates. And with each individual use of AI, a little bit more water is used. Nearly “25.5 million liters of water” evaporates from “a single 1-megawatt data center” (Phillips, 2026).  So why don’t these companies switch to wastewater or salt water? Wouldn’t that solve this issue? It’s not as easy as you’d hope.  There are a few main issues with other forms of water compared to freshwater. One of the biggest issues is the minerals and impurities in wastewater or saltwater. These are prone to clog cooling system pipes, cause corrosion, and create long-term d...