this post was submitted on 02 Sep 2026

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Fuck AI

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AI, in this case, refers to LLMs, GPT technology, and anything listed as "AI" meant to increase market valuations.

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385

It's official. American AI companies no longer have to respect the Clean Air Act (www.epa.gov)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by Arlesh@lemmy.world to c/fuck_ai@lemmy.world

33 comments fedilink hide all child comments

https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/986176/data-center-pollution-epa-rule-change-air-permit

This month, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance clarifying that the Clean Air Act (CAA) Acid Rain Program(ARP) does not apply to power generation facilities that are not connected to a public electricity grid , commonly referred to as “islanded” power generation facilities.

The guidance expands opportunities for companies to develop and operate islanded power generation facilities for data centers

“Ensuring that the United States maintains our artificial intelligence dominance is essential to national security and economic prosperity. At the same time, it is equally important that we safeguard our communities from utility price hikes” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Aaron Szabo

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-issues-permitting-guidance-further-president-trumps-agenda-promoting-data-centers

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[–] lechekaflan@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago

Corpo control of government, again.

[–] Mulligrubs@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

I wonder if there's any connection between this and the billionaires sharing the stage with Trump's victory party?

Nah, they were just patriotic

[–] weps@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

is this for all industry? huge if true

I know I know data centers blablabla but that's nothing compared to energy intensive industry

[–] Kazumara@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 day ago

that’s nothing compared to energy intensive industry

Sounds pretty comparable to me actually. A large aluminium smelter uses 1.25 GW. Colossus II is estimated to be at the 950 MW IT load level by now. Add to that 20% to 30% of power overhead for cooling and you're getting squarely in the same ballpark.

[–] Arlesh@lemmy.world 75 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

These two jerks are the single largest midterm donors:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/28/us/politics/billionaire-midterms-donors.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9FA.ZKIe.R5LysbaewktW

You also have this scoundrel and his wife:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/28/us/politics/billionaire-midterms-donors.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9FA.ZKIe.R5LysbaewktW

[–] wasabi_noir@lemmy.zip 85 points 2 days ago

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (2 children)

... Is that guy humpty Dumpty? Never seen such an egg shaped head...

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago

"SILENCE! I AM DOCTOR ROBOTNIK, THE GREATEST GENIUS IN THE WOOOOORLD!"

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Possible side effects of air pollution include an egg shaped head.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 24 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Whether it is possible or not, we're not going to get to AGI levels because we're going to kill each other first. It was just a matter of time. Atomic bombs paused us a bit, but then we got smart and figured other ways to ruin everything.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 34 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I don't even think AGI with LLMs is possible at all. Some different architecture will be needed.

[–] Awooooooga@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

Well they aren't just llms anymore

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 15 points 2 days ago (3 children)

LLMs were one part of AI research. They basically threw everything else down when they realized the profits. I'm sure other AGI stuff is still going on, but I don't think it's from these companies.

[–] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What profits? They are not even breaking even yet, and it seems people don't want to pay for what this shit actually costs.

[–] spicehoarder@lemmy.zip 1 points 10 hours ago

Board members and shareholders profit while the company burns money and the environment.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, profits is a misleading word. Investments? Lots of money is being thrown around. Is it real? shrug

[–] athatet@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 days ago

Lots of big numbers are being passed around in a circle jerk.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

From what I've heard, AI execs screamed at the engineers until all those who thought we need more advanced models instead of "superscaling" left or shut their mouths.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Now that all the LLM companies are hoarding all the graphics cards and memory though it's probably going to be harder/more expensive for people exploring other avenues =(

[–] h0tbeef@lemmy.zip 11 points 2 days ago

It’s not possible the way they’re trying to do it, no question.

You could make a flimsy argument that it would be possible in some way, but the way that they’ve chosen to approach it is 100% not viable.

[+] rockettaco37@feddit.nu -23 points 2 days ago (3 children)

The EPA has never been useful. I grew up in Western NY and Love Canal are words we haven’t forgotten.

[–] fuck_u_spez_in_particular@lemmy.world 2 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

This is just plain stupid. It could of course be better (when all those idiots in the idiocracy of the USA wouldn't elect these stupid Nazis), but not even having it at the first place or monitoring all these issues? This development in the USA is really just extremely depressing.

[–] rockettaco37@feddit.nu 0 points 19 hours ago

But I never said we shouldn’t have it. I simply said it’s been useless.

That doesn’t mean we should tear it down. It means we should fix it.

[–] kungen@feddit.nu 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So the EPA, which was first founded in December 1970, is responsible for Love Canal and not Hooker Chemical? You mean the problem that came to attention in 1977, was declared as a federal disaster in 1978, and was the first ever Superfund site? That useless EPA?

If the EPA didn't exist, Hooker Chemical wouldn't have dumped their toxic waste there... 50+ years prior, those wacky time travelers, am I right?

Do you also call firefighters useless when they aren't able to extinguish a fire in time?

[–] rockettaco37@feddit.nu -1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The only reason Superfund was established in the first place is because people like Lois Gibbs and the LCHA had to beg for it. The government had very much turned a blind eye to the initial disaster until people got loud about it.

So unless the whole city basically has to collectively shout outside the fire department every time there’s a fire while most of their home have already burnt down, I can’t say that I do agree with your analogy.

[–] kungen@feddit.nu 6 points 1 day ago

Yes, the government, not the EPA. The EPA didn't have the funding nor legal mandate to tackle such a problem when it was first discovered. It doesn't justify calling them useless.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Mental illness

[–] rockettaco37@feddit.nu -3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Or just not ignorant to history.

Look up the PBS documentary Poisioned Ground

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I've heard every propaganda narrative a hundred times before, traitor.

"Workers were better off before health and safety regulations"

"The slaves were happier before they were freed"

The solution to the failure of safeguards isn't to destroy the safeguards, but your mental illness is not based on logic. It's based on propaganda.

[–] rockettaco37@feddit.nu 0 points 19 hours ago

Who here said to destroy the safeguards? Calling them useless isn’t the same.

[–] dreamkeeper@literature.cafe 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Lol "just not ignorant" meanwhile other comments have proven you don't even have a basic understanding of what happened. Go look at how the vast majority of the country looked before the EPA.

[–] rockettaco37@feddit.nu 1 points 19 hours ago

At what point did I say the environmental protection and regulation was wrong?

I specifically said that the EPA has been useless in preventing tragedy. It’s an attack on the current organization and not the concept, but apparently that nuance was lost on you.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

You can't fix mental illness with logic