Vulnerable People and Places Blog

Photo by Patrick Hart Written by Patrick Hart In this, part two of I, Unemployed, I will take you through the frontline jobs in the publishing industry and explain how not even seasoned veterans of the trade will retain job security in the coming years . If the corporate desire for rapid profit growth exceeds a humanitarian desire to take time to implement these technologies in an ethical manner to stave off economic disaster, these positions will be at risk. Before that, let me quickly first define what AI models are at their basest root. AI models are programs that utilize artificial intelligence trained on immense amounts of data to analyze data, establish and recognize patterns, and solve queries on their own with minimal to no human interaction. Warehouse Workers and Drivers: The physical pivot point of the publishing business, books need to be moved from one point to another, stored and moved for sale in both a business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) capacity. ...

  Most of us don't think twice before asking AI a question. These actions feel completely digital, but behind every click are massive data centers working around the clock to process and store information.  One of the lesser-known impacts of data centers is their water use. Large facilities often rely on water cooling systems to prevent servers from overheating. As artificial intelligence becomes more popular, the demand for computing power continues to grow, meaning more energy and more water are needed to keep these systems running. Some researchers even estimate that a short conversation with an AI chatbot can directly contribute to water consumption somewhere in the data center network.  If every online action has a physical cost, should people know more about the resources required to power their digital lives? The next time you ask AI to answer a question, consider the infrastructure working behind the scenes. Does environmental cost change the way you think about t...

 When most people think about the internet, they imagine something that exists entirely online. In Reality, every search, streamed video clous backup, and AI interaction depends on physical infrastructure called data centers. Oregon has truly become one of the nation's leading locations for these facilities because of its available land, energy resources, and favorable tax incentives. While data centers support the growing digital economy, their rapid expansion has raised important questions about who benefits from their presence and who bears the costs.  Many of Oregon's data centers are being built in rural and agricultural areas, where land is more readily available. These facilities require enormous amounts of electricity and water to operate and cool their servers. As demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing continues to grow, the need for additional data centers grows as well. This can place pressure on local resources and infrastructure while also contribu...

      Image Credit:  Pingnan Lu for NPR Will AI Change Education Forever?    In this special series from NPR,  Learning in the age of AI ,  the complicated relationship between education and artificial intelligence is explored. You can choose from nearly a dozen current articles & episodes to learn more. Articles of Interest from NPR: Gaines, L. V. (2026, March 3).  College students, professors are making their own AI rules. They don't always agree . NPR.  https://www.npr.org/2026/03/03/nx-s1-5716176/ai-college-students-professors Gaines, L. V. (2026, May 25).  This big university system is embracing AI. Students and faculty aren't all on board . NPR.  https://www.npr.org/2026/05/25/nx-s1-5772820/artificial-intelligence-education-technology-california-state-university   At Portland State University, individual instructors currently determine how artificial intelligence may be used in their classrooms. As AI techno...

 When people think about Oregon, they rarely think about data centers, or at least I sure don't think about data centers.  We think about towering evergreens, winding rivers, mountain views, and the feeling of driving down a back road with no destination in mind. We think about community festivals, local farms, hiking trails, and neighborhoods that still feel connected to the land around them.  For many Oregonians, these places are more than scenery. These places are part of our identity as Oregonians.  That is why conversations about data centers are not just conversations about technology; they are conversations about what kind of Oregon we want to become.  Data centers are often presented as symbols of progress. They support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, streaming services, and countless digital tools that millions of people use every day. As technology continues to expand, so does the demand for the infrastructure that powers it.  But growth...

                                                                                                             C redit to: Max Smolaks        If you've driven past the outskirts of Hillsboro or The Dalles lately, you've seen them: windowless, humming fortresses the size of several football fields. Oregon has become one of the world's favorite places to build data centers—the giant server farms that power your Netflix stream, your Zoom call, and even your ChatGPT query.       Supporters of these facilities point to the benefits they bring. Data centers create jobs, generate tax revenue, and help position Oregon as a leader in the digit...

  The more I research data centers in Oregon, the harder it has become to ignore who will carry the heaviest burden of this expansion. Most conversations around AI and technology focus on innovation, economic growth, or the future. But very little attention is being given to the people and communities who may quietly absorb the long-term consequences of it all. What stands out to me most is how familiar this pattern feels. The communities most impacted are often the same communities that have historically had the least power in decision-making spaces. Rural communities. Low-income families. Agricultural workers. Tribal communities. People are already struggling with rising rent, utility bills, housing insecurity, drought, and limited access to healthcare and resources. These are not abstract policy issues for them; they're a matter of survival. As someone studying social work, I keep thinking about how systems often frame harm as “necessary progress.” Data centers are presented as ...