Leaked documents purportedly show that the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and state and local law enforcement have started looking into “anti-tech extremism,” and are assessing various intelligence sources for signs of violence. Wired reports that an intelligence and counterterrorism office has warned of chaos stemming from protests against AI, potentially leading to civil unrest or attacks on AI data centers. More concerningly, the report seems to group various ideologies, concerns, and even social media trolling into a single broad category.
"The chaotic atmosphere that may result from emergent AI technology in the next five years may fuel large-scale protests that devolve into civil unrest and anti-tech violent extremist activity, especially in large urban areas such as New York City," a New York-based bureau said in one leaked report. A fusion center out of Western Pennsylvania, which helps coordinate intelligence agencies with state and local authorities, also reportedly said that “adversarial actors, including state-sponsored entities, criminal groups, and extremists, such as homegrown violent extremists or environmental extremists, may target U.S. data centers.” It also added, “these actors could exploit the strategic importance of data centers to the U.S. economy, using them for activities like cryptocurrency mining or leveraging third-party entities, such as front companies, to gain access to U.S. data and infrastructure.”
All these reports come in the backdrop of increasing resistance against data centers in the U.S. Even as the White House pursues an AI-friendly policy, 7 out of 10 Americans are opposed to having an AI data center built within the vicinity of their homes.
Many of the concerns stem from reports of steep electricity pricing spikes, massive water use resulting in huge impacts on local water quality, and even issues of 24/7 noise pollution breaking the peace in previously quiet rural areas. These perceived threats to the lifestyles of residents near these proposed projects have led to contentious public hearings and confrontations with elected officials, with one instance leading to the arrest of an individual for going a few seconds over the allocated time limit.
"These intelligence reports are part of a long tradition of agencies identifying protest or even simply having strong opinions as precursors to violence," NAACP Legal Defense Fund senior counsel Spencer Reynolds told the publication. “Suspicious activity reports are incredibly unreliable, often about vague or innocent behavior, issued under permissive standards. These reports, often received in large volumes, allow officers to inject their own biases and see what they want to see in the facts.” The report also cites experts who say some of the suspicious activity listed in the reports could fall under peaceful protest.
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