A data center in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Photo by Geoffrey Moffett, used under free Unsplash license
What do computer scientists think about data centers coming to Champaign County?
I recently had coffee with three computer science (CS) students at the University of Illinois. I was intrigued that they are being expertly trained in computer science, while having a critical stance about the proposed data centers in Champaign and nearby counties in Illinois.
Bhavana Bheem and Andrea Watkins are graduate students. Samuel Gerstein is graduating this month with a BS in Computer Science.
In my view, these three students are quite atypical, because Bhavana, Samuel, and Andrea are intentionally informed about the impacts of data centers: water use, pollution, and massive amounts of waste heat. They also talk publicly about the harms of AI in education and in daily life.
Bhavana spoke in April at the Champaign County Board meeting against building more data centers and against the unchecked use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Samuel spoke at the May 4, 2026 Data Center Activities Task Force meeting.
Amy Young: Samuel, I saw on the recorded task force meeting last week that you were the only member of the public who spoke. What did you want to say, and what did you learn?
Samuel Gerstein: I planned to speak about water use of data centers. But they changed the agenda to give time to an advocate of data centers, someone from the Data Center Coalition. So I pointed out that the Data Center Coalition is funded by Google, Meta, AWS [Amazon Web Services], OpenAI, [and] Anthropic, as well as many other tech companies that would financially benefit from this data center to our community’s detriment. Actually, there is no situation in which the community benefits from data centers being built.
As for your second question, I learned that if the hyperscalers—Google, Meta, Amazon, Tesla—are in violation of public ordinances, there’s no real penalty. $500 per day in fines sounds like a lot, but compared with hundreds of millions in annual profit, even [the annual rate of] $180,000 is nothing. And municipalities can’t shut down violating facilities, either. So we residents might be passing ordinances which don’t protect our communities at all.
AY: Bhavana, at the county board meeting last month, you suggested we all simply read what billionaires like Peter Thiel really want to do, and believe.
Bhavana Bheem: My research focuses on developing computational tools that promote AI fairness and transparency. And bring about more democratic control over the technologies that impact communities. But Thiel wrote that he “doesn’t believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.”
AY: I’m surprised that more people in CS aren’t aware of these ideologies. Perhaps they know, and compartmentalize disturbingly well.
BB: They think, “Even if AI disrupts society and destroys the environment, it is inevitable. But we’re tech-savvy, so at least we’ll be safe,” on the mythical spaceship to a new place that Elon Musk and others have talked about.
SG: I begged the Data Center Task Force to not see hyperscale data centers as simply an eventuality that must be regulated. It should stop data centers from coming to our community entirely. Listen to its residents urging them to protect our future.
AY: Andrea, one of your interests is the altruistic aims of computer science. I’m old enough to remember Google’s motto “Don’t be evil.” I’d update that motto to “Don’t look evil.” I wonder what percentage of librarians still think Google is a nonprofit just because its accounts and services are often free.
Andrea Watkins: Yeah, my research focuses on representations of CS in the media and how students often don’t perceive the field as affording communal goals. I think the public is seeing it too, with the tech oligarchs being very candid about their beliefs. People were outraged after the Amazon Ring camera Super Bowl ad, my dad went out and took his Ring camera down. The people are seeing through the marketing.
BB: When working in policy, I learned about the three powers of society: government, industry, and civil society. CS academia exists within government and industry; it’s quite clear when you follow the money—it’s either government/military or industry funding. And with large tech companies now aligned with government, we are seeing the rise of technofascism. We, the people, are left out. And not only that—we are the product.
AY: Samuel, you’re graduating with a very desirable degree from one of the nation’s top CS programs. How do you feel about it, and what will you be doing next?
SG: Well, when I started my undergraduate career, I was excited.
AW: But you’re exactly the kind of person needed in the field of computer science.
AY: A CS professor mentioned how worried faculty are that AI use is already cutting job opportunities for graduates. And expressed mild shock to learn that proposed Illinois data centers would consume three times the power that Chicago does now. How are people getting informed? Where is the critical thinking around GenAI, and data centers?
AW: I think the critical thinking is partly clouded by the defunding of the National Science Foundation. The need for research funding still exists, so people are looking for it in other places. With venture capitalists pouring billions into AI, it’s a likely source. And the tech oligarchs want everyone to jump on the bandwagon because it keeps the stocks high and keeps the bubble from popping. So in turn, we’re seeing AI hype that is clouding judgment and being incorporated everywhere, perhaps without truly considering the impacts.
AY: Why don’t more professors work on advocacy?
AW: I think universities could do a better job incentivizing faculty to be involved in the local community. When you have a full course load, research, and academic service, it doesn’t leave much time for community involvement, but there’s a world where service to the community is rewarded too. I don’t think universities need to be as disconnected as they are.
AY: Residents and non-experts have a lot more ways to connect than they realize. For example, there’s a Springfield event on May 30, 2026, “POWER Act Lobby Day at the State Capitol.” There will be free buses so residents from all over the State can go to Springfield and let officials know what they think about the POWER Act. [info here.]
And here in Champaign County, there is another task force meeting on June 1, 2026 in downtown Urbana, where a member of the public can give input.
AW: And Bhavana and I will be hosting a couple community workshops later this summer, focused on data center messaging and resistance in Champaign County. Keep an eye out for more information!
Amy Young works at the University of Illinois, and is a volunteer instructor with the Education Justice Project. Since 2023 she has taught GenAI and Python programming to incarcerated students at the Danville Correctional Center.