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Ok let’s assume that AI will be a game changer. How does hosting it in the UK change anything? Just feels like something to brag about, but doesn’t have any imp

Ok let’s assume that AI will be a game changer. How does hosting it in the UK change anything? Just feels like something to brag about, but doesn’t have any impact. The UK is suffering from persistently expensive electricity (https://grid.iamkate.com/ https://grid.iamkate.com/, see All-Time). How does hosting AI data centres help with that?

simianwords 1y ago
I don't know much about this but do these prices reflect electricity costs for a datacenter? Maybe the infra is different than for general public use.. maybe the last mile problems don't exist for data centers.
- testdelacc1 1y ago
  This is true. Data centres usually sign deals with power plants. But for the country as a whole, it does exacerbate the problem with a lack of energy. And I’m perfectly happy to spend the energy as well! It’s just unclear what the benefit is to hosting within the UK.
hmottestad 1y ago
In Norway I've noticed that stringent requirements for privacy make it much easier to run things in the cloud if the physical location of said cloud is actually in Norway. So if OpenAI is hosting their services within the borders of the UK, then they would also be beholden to UK law. Makes it easier for the financial sector, government and healthcare to use their AI models than if they would have to send their data to a datacenter in the US.
- tempodox 1y ago
  But as a US company it’s also under US jurisdiction. So the alphabet agencies still get their data handed on a silver platter.
physicsguy 1y ago
Well, they're aiming to do the power via SMR reactors, and they have a large government supported company (Rolls) making those. I think there's a bit of a hail mary that that will be a successful export story.
- testdelacc1 1y ago
  Yeah it’ll be great when it happens. But work on the SMRs was only approved in June this year. It will take 10+ years of development and construction according to their current estimates. Every nuclear project usually takes twice as long and thrice as costly. So we could see those SMRs start to come online in like 2040. The chips in these data centres would have been EOL-d by then.
- OhioMan2943 1y ago
  I love small modular reactor reactors
ycombigators 1y ago
Royal Dutch Shell for the win!

simianwords 1y ago

I don't know much about this but do these prices reflect electricity costs for a datacenter? Maybe the infra is different than for general public use.. maybe the last mile problems don't exist for data centers.

testdelacc1 1y ago
This is true. Data centres usually sign deals with power plants. But for the country as a whole, it does exacerbate the problem with a lack of energy. And I’m perfectly happy to spend the energy as well! It’s just unclear what the benefit is to hosting within the UK.

hmottestad 1y ago

In Norway I've noticed that stringent requirements for privacy make it much easier to run things in the cloud if the physical location of said cloud is actually in Norway. So if OpenAI is hosting their services within the borders of the UK, then they would also be beholden to UK law. Makes it easier for the financial sector, government and healthcare to use their AI models than if they would have to send their data to a datacenter in the US.

tempodox 1y ago
But as a US company it’s also under US jurisdiction. So the alphabet agencies still get their data handed on a silver platter.

physicsguy 1y ago

Well, they're aiming to do the power via SMR reactors, and they have a large government supported company (Rolls) making those. I think there's a bit of a hail mary that that will be a successful export story.

testdelacc1 1y ago
Yeah it’ll be great when it happens. But work on the SMRs was only approved in June this year. It will take 10+ years of development and construction according to their current estimates. Every nuclear project usually takes twice as long and thrice as costly. So we could see those SMRs start to come online in like 2040. The chips in these data centres would have been EOL-d by then.
OhioMan2943 1y ago
I love small modular reactor reactors

ycombigators 1y ago

Royal Dutch Shell for the win!