Donald Campbell
@dncampbell.bsky.social
Important point on data centres raised in Parliament by @samanthaniblett.bsky.social - they've led to increased energy bills in the US, will they do the same in the UK?
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...
November 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Important point on data centres raised in Parliament by @samanthaniblett.bsky.social - they've led to increased energy bills in the US, will they do the same in the UK?
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...
The UK's (privately-owned) National Grid is holding an event on data centres at #COP30.
Concerning that the title doesn't seem to make any reference to the huge electricity consumption & emissions that result from large-scale data centres.
www.nationalgrid.com/responsibili...
Concerning that the title doesn't seem to make any reference to the huge electricity consumption & emissions that result from large-scale data centres.
www.nationalgrid.com/responsibili...
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
The UK's (privately-owned) National Grid is holding an event on data centres at #COP30.
Concerning that the title doesn't seem to make any reference to the huge electricity consumption & emissions that result from large-scale data centres.
www.nationalgrid.com/responsibili...
Concerning that the title doesn't seem to make any reference to the huge electricity consumption & emissions that result from large-scale data centres.
www.nationalgrid.com/responsibili...
Meta has invented a scam flywheel, apparently. Great work. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Meta has invented a scam flywheel, apparently. Great work. www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Something strangely appropriate about building an insatiable, gluttonous energy-consumer on this site (if you're familiar with 90s ads from the UK)
November 5, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Something strangely appropriate about building an insatiable, gluttonous energy-consumer on this site (if you're familiar with 90s ads from the UK)
That TBI report attacking renewables seems to do so in part because they aren't so good for data centres.
On a completely unrelated point, TBI is funded by Oracle's Larry Ellison.
institute.global/insights/cli...
On a completely unrelated point, TBI is funded by Oracle's Larry Ellison.
institute.global/insights/cli...
October 23, 2025 at 1:41 PM
That TBI report attacking renewables seems to do so in part because they aren't so good for data centres.
On a completely unrelated point, TBI is funded by Oracle's Larry Ellison.
institute.global/insights/cli...
On a completely unrelated point, TBI is funded by Oracle's Larry Ellison.
institute.global/insights/cli...
In a strong field, Microsoft's "vibe writing" is currently one of the more odious terms for gen AI garbage
www.theverge.com/news/787076/...
www.theverge.com/news/787076/...
October 2, 2025 at 8:24 AM
In a strong field, Microsoft's "vibe writing" is currently one of the more odious terms for gen AI garbage
www.theverge.com/news/787076/...
www.theverge.com/news/787076/...
There's a steady stream of stories from the US about how the uncontrolled data centre boom has caused household energy prices to rocket. Yet the UK govt persists with its determination to unleash a similar, unnecessary boom here. eu.cincinnati.com/story/money/...
September 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
There's a steady stream of stories from the US about how the uncontrolled data centre boom has caused household energy prices to rocket. Yet the UK govt persists with its determination to unleash a similar, unnecessary boom here. eu.cincinnati.com/story/money/...
US Big Tech's given up even pretending their vast, superfluous UK data centres will be 'sustainable' - Huang wants more gas plants built to power them www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
September 17, 2025 at 9:04 PM
US Big Tech's given up even pretending their vast, superfluous UK data centres will be 'sustainable' - Huang wants more gas plants built to power them www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Strangely that quote's been removed from the updated BBC article, but here it is:
September 17, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Strangely that quote's been removed from the updated BBC article, but here it is:
Blackstone's CEO is apparently not content with the damage his firm's data centres are doing to the water environment
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
September 12, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Blackstone's CEO is apparently not content with the damage his firm's data centres are doing to the water environment
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
How much longer can the UK Govt keep claiming Big Tech AI is a magical solution to reducing costs, while also getting results like this in their evaluations? www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/m...
September 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
How much longer can the UK Govt keep claiming Big Tech AI is a magical solution to reducing costs, while also getting results like this in their evaluations? www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/m...
Big Tech has also been using the Govt's AI Energy Council - supposedly aimed at 'sustainability' - to push for gas-powered data centres. This is from the minutes for June's meeting:
September 2, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Big Tech has also been using the Govt's AI Energy Council - supposedly aimed at 'sustainability' - to push for gas-powered data centres. This is from the minutes for June's meeting:
Remarkably this FT piece features a DSIT official complaining about Ed Miliband having "focus on net zero". Are they aware of his job title?
www.ft.com/content/280b...
www.ft.com/content/280b...
July 23, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Remarkably this FT piece features a DSIT official complaining about Ed Miliband having "focus on net zero". Are they aware of his job title?
www.ft.com/content/280b...
www.ft.com/content/280b...
Staggering graphic on the projected growth in electricity demand from UK data centres over the coming decades:
July 20, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Staggering graphic on the projected growth in electricity demand from UK data centres over the coming decades:
UK Govt admits it still doesn't have a picture of either current data centre water use, or future demand. Defra & the EA are (still) "working to improve the understanding of water and resilience needs" hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-0...
July 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
UK Govt admits it still doesn't have a picture of either current data centre water use, or future demand. Defra & the EA are (still) "working to improve the understanding of water and resilience needs" hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-0...
The UK Govt's 'Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard' has been around for over 2.5 years, but still isn't up to date. When will it be? Maybe by January 2026, a full 3 years after its launch. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/684fec...
June 16, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The UK Govt's 'Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard' has been around for over 2.5 years, but still isn't up to date. When will it be? Maybe by January 2026, a full 3 years after its launch. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/684fec...
Astonishing stat: 18% of Ethiopia's electricity is sold to bitcoin miners: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
May 1, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Astonishing stat: 18% of Ethiopia's electricity is sold to bitcoin miners: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
google's AI tools continue to impress, quite the scoop here
April 21, 2025 at 1:06 PM
google's AI tools continue to impress, quite the scoop here
Not mentioned in the letter, but even before Starmer's cut the Home Office was already plundering about a fifth of the ODA budget, so that proportion will presumably rise even higher in future now.
February 28, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Not mentioned in the letter, but even before Starmer's cut the Home Office was already plundering about a fifth of the ODA budget, so that proportion will presumably rise even higher in future now.
Here's what previous Govt assessments have said on jobs from airport expansion:
January 29, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Here's what previous Govt assessments have said on jobs from airport expansion:
LinkedIn founder says a benefit of AI is that one day it will be able to tell you not to bother going for walks in nature or buying books. Fully beyond parody. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/o...
January 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
LinkedIn founder says a benefit of AI is that one day it will be able to tell you not to bother going for walks in nature or buying books. Fully beyond parody. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/o...
If this is the most compelling case the UK Govt can come up with for throwing billions of pounds and tonnes of carbon emissions at "AI", then maybe they need to think again?
January 13, 2025 at 10:53 AM
If this is the most compelling case the UK Govt can come up with for throwing billions of pounds and tonnes of carbon emissions at "AI", then maybe they need to think again?
This FT piece is interesting but there are some nuances in the Reuters Institute research it mentions - for example most people in most markets still say they prefer to get news from text. So why is consumption of text news still declining relative to video?
December 20, 2024 at 10:56 AM
This FT piece is interesting but there are some nuances in the Reuters Institute research it mentions - for example most people in most markets still say they prefer to get news from text. So why is consumption of text news still declining relative to video?
Depressing stat: investment by oil cos in deepwater drilling is at its highest for a decade. Via @semafor.com
November 20, 2024 at 10:26 AM
Depressing stat: investment by oil cos in deepwater drilling is at its highest for a decade. Via @semafor.com