The newest problem with AI? Not enough power for data centers.

The global power supply is feeling the pinch of AI as data centers are being built and more planned for companies getting in to the generative AI field. I have mentioned before that generative AI consumes more power than generating cryptocurrency, which is no slouch when it comes to consuming current: companies have repurposed retired coal plants to power crypto!

So now what, we're going to unretire closed nuke plants to power AI data centers?

Even now, AI mining operations are being closed to repurpose them for training the Large Language Models (the LLMs that are frequently referred to) for AI.

This is a big mess, and it's only going to get worse. The permitting and construction lead time for any energy source, be it natural gas, wind farms, whatever, is quite extensive. And there's probably a heck of a waiting list for the companies that build them. And the companies that want new data centers want the power for them NOW!NOW!NOW! Bit of a problem.

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/04/power-hungry-ai-is-putting-the-hurt-on-global-electricity-supply/

Tesla CyberTruck Joy

As I posted yesterday, Tesla halted production on the CT. And I snicker as I post this. TODAY, they announced that they are RECALLING ALL CYBERTRUCKS!

They have sold just under 3,800 CTs in the six months that it's been out, and all have to go in for service. The problem is the Go Fast pedal. Seems the cover is a really, REALLY crappy design. The cover of the pedal slides on, and is quite capable of sliding up, getting jammed under a panel, and now you have a vehicle that can go 0-60MPH in under four seconds with a jammed throttle. Fortunately, engaging the brake will disconnect the throttle, but you have to not freak out first.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/04/tesla-recalls-all-3878-cybertrucks-over-faulty-accelerator-pedal-cover/


This story is about a CT owner who took his vehicle to the beach. No, not the guy who got his stuck on the beach, an illegal act driving it on to that particular beach in the first place and he got an almost $400 ticket for it. This guy went to the beach, and on his way home, took his CT through a car wash to clean it up.

And it died.

Car washes and CTs don't work too well together. He got home, and the truck was pretty much totally unresponsive. He "put in a ticket" with Tesla for a full reboot, and said reboot took FIVE HOURS! That's an awful lot of time for a full reboot, but I have no idea what all that would entail. The vehicle now seems to be functioning normally.

Apparently, the manual says that before going through a car wash, you must put the truck in Car Wash Mode. No one is entirely clear on what that mode does, but it is recommended.

So what do you do if you're out on the road and suddenly caught in a torrential downpour?

https://gizmodo.com/drive-through-car-wash-was-too-much-for-tesla-cybertruc-1851420356