Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Featured photo: Dr. Terrance E .Dillard, PhD, SSIA, CISSP, author of “Erosion of Privacy: The System Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself” explained how data centers collect, retain, aggregate and predict user behavior at a recent educational forum.
On August 14, an educational forum was held at the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library to help residents, business owners, educators, students, nonprofits, government officials and community leaders understand artificial intelligence and data centers.
The event was organized following Flint’s June passage of a 12-month moratorium on new data center projects to evaluate potential impacts on the community.
The forum featured speakers including Dr. Terrance E .Dillard, PhD, SSIA, CISSP, author of “Erosion of Privacy: The System Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself,” who explained how data centers collect, retain, aggregate and predict user behavior.
Dillard emphasized the privacy risks of modern AI systems, noting that companies can now predict future behavior and influence choices through data analysis. He advocated for “responsible innovation” that balances technological advancement with ethical safeguards and consumer privacy protection.
“So, data centers are the physical body or the physical manifestation of this lifestyle and this paradigm that we find ourselves in,” stated Dillard. “Let’s just be clear. Let’s put this into context, okay? But keep something in mind. They collect, they retain. They aggregate or combine, but then they do something different, something that we haven’t really experienced up until this point.
“We’ve actually crossed the threshold,” Dillard continued. “How many of you have heard these commercials for California psychics?…All right, all right. Listen, AI today is all about predicting the future, and they don’t make commercials about California psychics.
“Companies want to be able to predict your future behavior.
“So, the intelligence is not in one single record. It emerges from relationships amongst many records. Your data or you never enter a data center. However, your data fragments are flowing in in droves.”
Also, Ida Byrd Hill, CEO of Automation Workz, discussed technology adoption and economic opportunities.
Hill argued that rejecting data centers risks driving young people and economic opportunities away from Flint, pointing to examples like Ashburn, Virginia, which has 300 data centers and a 3.9% poverty rate compared to Flint’s 31.7% poverty rate. She emphasized that technology adoption is inevitable and that communities should negotiate favorable terms rather than refuse participation entirely.
Hill also pointed out that Flint, which previously earned the nickname “Vehicle City,” was the birthplace of General Motors.
“Flint – the most sophisticated device anywhere in the world started right here where I was born and raised,” Hill added. “So, my thing is, if Flint could lead that revolution, what else could they do?
“Now, let me tell you why – because Silicon Valley got rich off the semiconductor chip,” Hill continued. “But notice they’re not driving the chip. We are. Every time we build a car, 2000 to 3000 chips go into a car, which means we are technically driving that industry.
“But guess what? There are no semiconductor plants in Flint, Michigan. Why is that? Can I ask you that? Okay, we’re driving the industry. Why? Why are we not making money from it?”
Additionally, Rafael Turner, senior community affairs manager for Consumers Energy Company, outlined Michigan’s regulatory framework for utility provision.
Turner explained Consumers Energy’s role, noting that Michigan’s tariff system requires data centers to pay for their own infrastructure, protecting residential customers from rate increases unlike in other states.
Turner then addressed several other points of contention and explained Consumers’ Energy checkpoint system.
Turner stated: “As we start to have these conversations about data centers, there are multiple checkpoints in place. It’s not just rolling out a blank check to a large energy or a load user, like a chip maker, like a data center, or you name it. We have those in place because we’ve learned from others’ mistakes, if you will. So, through our checkpoints, we’re making sure that we’re able to protect our customers to that level.”
Event organizer Sherrod Pigee, founder of AI Data Center Education™, also contributed to the discussion.
The discussion revealed community concerns about environmental impacts, water usage, noise and whether economic benefits would materialize for local residents.
Councilwoman Candice Mushatt, who fought for the moratorium, said she was calling for more detailed studies, transparency and accountability, rather than high-level promises.
The panelists acknowledged valid concerns about environmental and social impacts, while arguing that technology-driven growth is necessary for Flint’s economic future.
Attendees were actively and emotionally involved in the discussion period following the presentation. All are invited to future forums and discussions.
A field trip to visit an operating data center to better understand the facilities was proposed by Mushatt. Pigee expressed his interest in moving forward with organizing that educational opportunity.
Stay tuned to the Flint Courier News for dates and times.
