In a small Virginia town, distrust of Big Tech hampers Trump’s AI push
The front page of the Danville Register & Bee, a local newspaper in southern Virginia with a circulation of fewer than 4,000, carried an unusual headline. “LEADER: CHINA BEHIND THE MISCONCEPTIONS”, it read, above a photograph of two homes dwarfed by a data centre behind. The leader in question was Vic Ingram, chair of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA), a…
The Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) chair, Vic Ingram, has faced criticism for his stance on a proposed data centre project in southern Virginia. The project, located at Berry Hill, a 3,500-acre industrial site, is seen by some residents as a potential economic boon, but others question its environmental impact, power requirements, and the lack of transparency in its approval process.
Ingram has previously attributed negative sentiment to China, portraying the data centres as crucial for the US to compete with Beijing in artificial intelligence. However, the project has stirred controversy due to the community's distrust of local officials, a history of broken investment promises, and opaque decision-making. The issue is part of Danville's ongoing relationship with China, which has seen numerous failed economic development efforts.
The Berry Hill proposal is a new attempt to revitalize the city's economy, but it faces significant opposition from residents concerned about the lack of transparency and past disappointments.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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