Some Electricians Think Building Data Centers Is for Sellouts
Key takeaways
- In some cases, the scale of the projects and the demanding construction timelines are fueling talent wars for the industry’s best and brightest.
- But amid growing national opposition to data centers, debates over the ethics of the massive buildout have started to pop up in some online pockets of the community.
- Threads about how AI will affect the economy now pepper r/electricians, a subreddit with around half a million monthly visitors.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Photo-Illustration: Jobanny Cabrera; Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story As Big Tech dumps billions of dollars into America’s data center buildout, a slew of opportunities have opened up to the electricians wiring these massive facilities.
In some cases, the scale of the projects and the demanding construction timelines are fueling talent wars for the industry’s best and brightest. The US-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has argued that its workers are “powering the AI Revolution,” and a set of “Data Center Principles” published in March argues that union labor is “essential to the future of AI.” Tech companies are trying to meet the moment: Meta recently announced a skilled trade academy program, and Google committed $50 million to help train people in skilled trades.
But amid growing national opposition to data centers, debates over the ethics of the massive buildout have started to pop up in some online pockets of the community.