this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2026
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Again... I am not in support of corporate owned models running on massive datacenters... Self-hosted models are the way to go.
My only argument is that AI is not going away, and once enough negative public sentiment is achieved, civilians will DEMAND that the government regulate it. When this happens, self-hosting will cease to be an option and only massive corporations will have the resources to navigate that landscape.
They will still use AI to displace human workers, they will lobby around any environmental concerns and still consume and pollute, but WE will have no access to any benefit unless we pay for it.
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF?
It's not going away because twats and useful idiots assume it's inevitable because someone with a RAFT of financial incentives has convinced you it's inevitable and you believed them.
you're worried about improbable hypotheticals while the whole thing is the issue and it's cooking the planet
Sure thing Nostradamus... There are a hundred things you do every day that consume more water and power than datacenters... But I'm guessing you haven't actually looked at any numbers yourself...
Go off queen!
sure thing sparky. you still haven't replied to SHOW ME ONE GOOD UPSIDE THAT JUSTIFIES IT. keep changing the subject.
https://www.slashgear.com/1994908/meta-ai-data-centers-affecting-water-supply-in-multiple-states/
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/1249592906/energy-water-ai-climate-tech
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2026/01/11/americas-ai-boom-is-running-into-an-unplanned-water-problem/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135426005488
https://time.com/article/2026/06/03/ai-global-water-resources-un-report/
so self hosted avoids all that?
no it just distributes it and makes it less effective, and, you still have to train it, where the massive portion of power and water is used.
and it's probably still built on stolen everything.
6,600,000,000 liters... So, 0.17% of our annual global water usage... With the absolute worst case doomsday future prediction of reaching 7%... What a catastrophe...
And I don't need to justify anything...either:
A) AI is an unprecedented paradigm shifting technology that changes human evolution forever; and opposing it is as short-sighted as opposing the wheel, the printing press, or antibiotics.
Or
B) AI is simply the next step in computer data processing; and opposing it is as emotionally irrational as opposing a new programming language, operating system, or semiconductor layout just because it's unfamiliar to you.
You have no rational basis for your opinion; it seems like you just don't understand / haven't interacted with the technology. You have been manipulated by an emotionally charged narrative and you don't even realize it. Seems like the only thing being "trained" to the world's detriment here is you.
you really are deluded!
it hasn't delivered any of that, and it's eating WAY more potable water than your measly figures.
you're simply in the cult and can't see anything outside, so assume everyone else is deluded. I provided you with a raft of links illustrating the problem and you call me ignorant.
Back up your garbage position with evidence if it's so easy!
Are you dating a bot? Is that why this is so painful?
You're being trained to defend something that will never love you lol
Oh! Look at how useless AI is!
https://lemmy.today/post/55108549
whoopy, yet another threat surface to deal with, you think is a good thing?
you really are fucking dumb
Those figures are from the sources YOU shared...
It's ok to admit you didn't actually read the sources you quoted...
Look, I get it... I'm a leftist, and I know that anything anti-capitalism is en vogue right now; but some of us have been at this for a very long time... long enough to understand the importance of nuance and technical detail.
If you can separate your emotion from the issue I'm happy to have an intelligent discussion, but if you're going to continue falling back onto charged language and hyperbole I'm not interested.
yes, and they're A HUGE PROBLEM, not the insignificant rounding error you make it sound like. You idiots are consuming enormous amounts of potable water from muni supplies and letting it fucking evaporate, you smooth brained dolt.
if you're a leftist you're the shittiest leftist I've ever encountered. There's nothing emotional involved aside from your sycophancy for AI kiddo.
Oh and my amazement that you're so stupid to continue
Did you just look at those big numbers and forget to contextualize that around our existing water usage? That's embarrassing...
THE EXISTING WATER USAGE KEEPS US ALIVE YOU FUCKING MORON.
And many of those muni water supplies are at risk. And why should they have to pay more for water because some asshole wants to evaporate MILLIONS OF GALLONS computing inference shit?
do you have any fucking point?
This entire discourse is lost on your because you're enamored with something and don't care about the effects.
AI is not to blame for decades of deregulation. They are already doing this with beef, almonds, soy... Ad infinitum...
Cope harder. You're just choosing to overlook the ENORMOUS waste behind the things YOU care about. You're a hypocrite.