PADUCAH — Over the past week, we’ve shared information about the Department of Energy’s AI data center coming to Paducah. WPSD’s Mackenzie Lionberger asked several questions like what is AI? Why Paducah? What are the promises and concerns, and how could this impact future generations? Here is a wrap-up of all the coverage in case you missed it.
We first started by asking the question, What is AI? We explained what AI is and spoke to cybersecurity experts as well as educators to get a better grasp. AI is a computer system designed to perform numerous tasks like summarizing information, research, answering questions and problem solving, with common examples including chatbots such as Claude and Chat-GPT. “Us humans just can’t match, and that’s what lets us solve problems in seconds that might take us days or weeks to solve,” said Johnny Sander, co-founder of SEMO Cyber.
Why choose Paducah as a site for an AI data center? And what is an AI data center exactly? An AI data center is a facility that holds computing equipment needed to run AI software. It stores information and operates technology enabling people to access the AI from anywhere in the world. As for why Paducah, the decision came not from random choice but a strategic plan to utilize the region’s excessive unused electrical capacity. Being uniquely situated in the middle of the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator, which has a capacity of 200,000 megawatts but only uses roughly half of its capacity per day, Paducah was determined to be the premier site for a new data center. Additionally, the site is expected to generate investment growth opportunities and impact the local economy, supporting long-term growth.
What about the concerns of the local community? Many local environmentalists have expressed worries regarding the potential impacts of the data center on the community, warning of air and water pollution due to the cooling operations of a data center. A previously installed water pump is planned to cycle water used to cool the hardware inside the facility back into the Ohio River, and despite concerns, President and CEO of Greater Paducah Economic Development Bruce Wilcox said the site will be monitored closely. “It’s probably the most regulated or evaluated site in the county,” Wilcox said. Additional concerns also cite an increased price in utility bills due to some areas around the country reporting higher power bills after the construction of a data center. Local leaders however have said that an AI data center will not impact utility bills, with Wilcox saying that residents in McCracken County need not be concerned.
The promise of an AI data center means more money flowing into the region. From job growth to investments from large tech companies, “It’s gonna transform this community,” said Judge Executive Craig Clymer. While jobs are expected to peak during construction of the facility, the data center itself is not predicted to increase long-term job availability. While some residents believe that money should have gone more towards the community, Tennessee Valley Authority spokesperson Scott Fielder said that the appearance of data centers in the area could attract large companies and investments that could go back into the community.
What does AI mean for future generations? Since its inception, educators have grappled with AI and how to use it as a constructive tool for learning and teaching, now, it’s become integrated into many forms of education, including higher education. The University of Kentucky now offers a major in AI, and Murray State University is looking to implement an AI degree program in the future as well. Interim Chair of the Department of Computer Science at Murray State, Matthew Tennyson, said he believe that AI is the future, and is already impacting industries across the world. “More courses are going to incorporate AI into the coursework that you’re doing, and you’re going to have to learn how to apply AI and use AI,” he said. While others like Abigail George, a junior computer science major at Murray State expressed concern about the misuse, overreliance, and spread of misinformation caused by AI. “In Jurassic Park, when Jeff Goldblum is like, ‘you didn’t stop to consider if you should make these dinosaurs — you just asked if you could,'” she said. She feels that the comparison is quite relevant to the creation of AI because of the potentially harmful outcomes being ignored in favor of curiosity.
While the future of AI remains uncertain, one thing that is apparent is the impact and change that will come as a result. For more information, check out the Crossroads Suncast deep dive on The Cost and Promise of AI.