What is the future of AI, and what will it mean for us? And no, I am not AI. I am actually typing this myself. I know if I need some help, AI would stand ready to assist. Are we becoming too dependent on technology? I live in Memphis, Tennessee, and Elon Musk plans to build a supercomputer in Memphis. It's been in the news. See this article. What does this mean for our city and what does it mean for the future of AI?
Memphis is known for having some of the best drinking water in the United States. We are concerned about that. However, MLGW officials have said that the supercomputer center will use recycled wastewater. I sure hope that this is true. News reports say the supercomputer center will use a million gallons of water a day. You know we will be watching this. We are also concerned about our power grid. There are already too many outages in this town when we have severe weather. It appears that is being fixed.
There is also the question of the economic impact this company will have in Memphis. Unfortunately, Memphis is known for giving away the store when it comes to tax credits. I hope this is not the case. We need a company to come to this town and make some major investments. That money can be used for education, housing the homeless population, or building up the electrical infrastructure. So much to consider. We are also trying to get the skinny on how many people will actually be employed there. Since it's AI, I am not expecting a lot of people.
At the writing of this article. I have learned that Elon Musk has not sought tax incentives from the Memphis Edge Board for this supercomputer project. That is encouraging news. I will continue to await news updates to see if anything else develops. According to a news report, Atlanta was considering this project. Perhaps the city didn't think it would benefit them.
The fact remains that there is a big discrepancy in income in the Memphis metropolitan area. Studies show nearly 48% of Memphians make less than $35,000 a year. We need some companies coming into this town to provide some economic opportunities. Maybe, the crime rate will go down. Right now, Memphis is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the nation. It didn't use to be that way. It appears a lot of this took place over the last few years.
The new Police Chief C. J. Davis brought to light some of the sentencing laws. From what we know, repeat offenders have low bonds and are back on the streets within days of committing a crime. That is not good. Something has to be done. So, it is my hope that this supercomputer will bring some super security along with it. Maybe it will help provide some super attention to the poverty rate in Memphis. Then, most importantly, maybe the computer can be a super supporter of education.
