Two Amazon employees took a public stand at a Seattle City Council meeting Wednesday, urging elected officials to implement regulations on new data centers. They argued that the rapid, unchecked growth of these facilities, crucial for AI, poses significant threats to the region's environment, economy, and safety.
Liesl Wigand, a senior software engineer at Amazon, stated at the city hearing, "Local governments, in collaboration with community stakeholders, should be setting the terms for data center buildout. Let’s not let big tech burn Seattle to win the AI race." Her and fellow Amazon software engineer Patrick Schloesser's comments represent a notable escalation in the growing US movement protesting the swift construction of data centers over the past few years.
Patrick Schloesser, who has worked at Amazon for nearly six years, proposed that data centers should be required to supply more renewable energy than they consume and include power storage to support the broader electricity grid. He also advocated for new taxes on tech companies and the establishment of "worker-led safety committees that report to the city" regarding any AI tools that become risky. Schloesser believes Seattle has leverage to negotiate concessions from tech companies, given their urgent need to build data centers.
Both employees are part of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a group of current and former Amazon workers advocating for the company to address the environmental impact of its operations. Other members of the group are expected to speak at upcoming city hearings where a proposal for a one-year moratorium on data centers is scheduled for debate. Amazon Employees for Climate Justice is also pushing for city officials to consult with frontline worker representatives, like labor unions, on data center regulations.
Tech companies and real estate developers are planning massive investments in data centers nationwide to meet the surging demand for AI technologies. Communities across the US are organizing against these projects, raising concerns about electricity and water consumption, toxic waste, emissions, noise, and tax breaks. Meanwhile, Seattle officials are considering a one-year pause on data center permits to develop specific regulations, as the city currently lacks any rules tailored to these facilities. Such developments could lead to increased water and power prices for residents and higher carbon emissions, with the city having limited authority to intervene.
The Amazon workers joined about 30 other public speakers, including laid-off tech workers, during the Land Use and Sustainability Committee meeting. The committee subsequently voted to advance the proposed data center moratorium, with most speakers favoring the measure. While the Amazon employees didn't explicitly endorse the pause, they detailed the potential benefits of establishing industry-wide rules. Frustration among tech workers regarding their employers' focus on AI development is growing, with employees at various companies voicing concerns about AI's impact and the use of layoffs to fund AI projects.
