Erin Collins of the CBC National reached out for an interview regarding the newly announced AI data centre permit ban in Texas. I explained I am a geophysicist who spent 22 years in the oil and gas industry before being pushed out while advocating for environmental goals aligned with Justin Trudeau’s land back through industrial site cleanup and restoration and that I host The Gravity Well podcast, to focus on social and environmental issues for the public. The conversation centers on my concerns about AI data centres—which I explain is as an extension of the oil and gas industry. Before it was: methane gas as a bridge fuel, bitumen beyond combustion, carbon capture and utilization (not storage), pipelines to the west coast, “blue” hydrogen or nuclear—and surveillance systems backed by nefarious actors, like Meta who monetize misinformers, funneling money to politicians, the police and military. I also argue that what is marketed as artificial intelligence is actually machine learning that lacks genuine intelligence and can be manipulated, citing websites allegedly designed to mislead Albertans toward a separatist referendum as an example.
Erin raises serious concerns about the resource demands of data centres, particularly regarding water and energy. I note that Alberta’s oil sands already consumed 260 billion liters of fresh water in a single year, and that adding AI data centre power demands could increase water usage by 12 times. I draw a parallel to Corpus Christi, Texas, which is facing water bankruptcy due to AI data centres, LNG facilities, and petrochemical plants. I also warn that data centres (correction) require diesel backup storage for natural gas turbines at a time when refined fuel supplies are under strain globally.
I go further than what the Texas Governor has done—halting all new AI data centre permits—by calling for a complete halt to AI data centre construction and operation across North America, framing it as a choice between essential resources like food, water, and healthcare versus information systems she sees as providing no societal value. I reference a CNN report about an AI hallucination that allegedly nearly caused a major international military incident with China as evidence of AI’s dangers. I urge political leaders to consult the oil and gas industry to understand what is at stake, arguing that informed decisions must be made urgently.
The interview closes with my expressing appreciation for the Texas Governor’s decision to pause data centre permits, acknowledging it as an example of political courage needed from leaders facing these limits. I emphasize that the most urgent priority should be centering the economy on water restoration and halting all hyperscale AI data centre construction and activities, immediately.
