Living in southern Missouri, I've watched as plans to build AI data centers have sprung up unexpectedly in my community. They're pitching three massive centers right around my home, and it's not just me who's concerned—nearly everyone here is saying, "No, we don't want that." During town halls, representatives from these AI companies dismiss our concerns. They act like we're just a bunch of uninformed hillbillies, but that's not the case. We know these centers will consume huge amounts of electricity, threatening to raise our bills, and potentially deplete our vital underground water resources.

These AI companies argue that the sacrifices we're asked to make now—our natural resources and potentially higher costs—are minor in comparison to the future benefits of these data centers and the AI they support. They dream up a world where AI solves everything, but let's be honest: the companies themselves don’t even know if these promises will hold. Recent data shows that despite pouring money into these projects, the improvements in AI are slowing down.

What's even more alarming is that these ventures are being bankrolled by debt. For every dollar invested, these companies are losing three, and investors are running out of patience. Many are just scrambling to look busy for investors, while in reality, Chinese open-source AI models are outperforming them. Instead of real innovation, this could just be inflating our GDP numbers without sustainable benefits. Like Sam Altman, they sell these grand visions and use sophisticated showmanship to appear impressive, but underneath, it is smoke and mirrors.

The heart of this issue is about safeguarding our community and our finite resources. We shouldn't be forced into a gamble where we lose our water, endure higher costs, and risk our local environment on a dream that might not even materialize. These companies plan to keep throwing money at the problem, hoping that one day AI will magically solve everything. But what happens to us in the meantime?

Let’s take a stand for our community, our environment, and our future. Join me in calling for a halt to these unsustainable AI data centers in southern Missouri. Our resources should not be the backup plan for a failing business model. We need to prioritize sustainable growth and protect what we value most. Sign this petition to make our voices heard and bring about real, necessary change.