How do data science and AI impact social justice, and what happens when massive tech infrastructure lands in local communities?

Assistant professor and author Ben Green joins Kate O’Neill on The Tech Humanist Show to discuss AI, data centers, and how technology impacts social justice, communities, and local governments. Hear insights on responsible data science, community resistance, and sustainable tech.

Topics covered:

• The relationship between data science, AI, and social justice
• Algorithmic Realism and responsible data science methods
• Public resistance and organizing against data center expansion
• Impact of data centers on small towns and local governance
• Environmental justice and the burdens of tech development
• Power grid strain and electricity cost distribution
• The opaque economics and long-term sustainability of data centers
• The role of technologists and communities in shaping technology’s future

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Episode Chapters:
00:04 Introduction to The Tech Humanist Show
01:29 Conversation with Ben Green Begins
02:05 Data Science and Social Justice: The Connection and Contradictions
03:49 Algorithmic Realism: Rethinking Responsible Data Science
06:13 Unlearning Optimization: Real Stories from Boston EMS
09:31 Beyond Tech: The “Smart Enough City” Philosophy
10:26 Hype, Policy, and the Expansion of Data Centers
13:49 The Power Imbalance and Role of Public Resistance
16:54 Key Findings from “What Happens When Data Centers Come to Town”
21:36 Land Use, Community Decisions, and Generational Trade-offs
24:55 Environmental Justice & Health: Who Bears the Burden?
28:25 Data Centers, Power Grid Strains, and Electricity Costs
33:17 Hardware, Supply Chain, and the Sustainability of Data Centers
36:41 Heat Generation and Local Climate Effects
38:09 How Community Organizing Shapes Technological Outcomes
42:41 Building a Bridge: Technologists, Communities, and Hope for the Future
46:21 Closing Thoughts and What Gives Hope