We asked ChatGPT how to deal with today’s crazy world. 🧘 It told us to get offline and go touch grass. Well, it didn’t specify what kind of grass, so now we’re at the dispensary. 🌿 Who’s hallucinating, us or the AI? 😵💫
Speaking of getting high, many Pennsylvanians felt the pain of energy rate hikes. As AI keeps on keepin’ on, will citizens continue to foot the bill? 💡 Here’s what lawmakers have up their sleeves.
Here’s Five Fast Facts on the growth of AI in PA:
- ⚡ Wallet Zap - AI’s on the up and up in a big way, and the proof is in Pennsylvania’s utility bills. In June, the average electricity rate increase was 5-12%, with some folks seeing increases as high as 40%. PS - we covered more on this here.
- 📈 High Voltage - AI data centers are to blame for higher electric bills, but what’s being done about it? Lawmakers have this on their radar with as many as a dozen proposed bills on the issue. One of them is the Pennsylvania Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to prevent unfair cost-shifting to residents.
- 💰 Money Moves - The AI boom isn’t slowing down anytime soon as corporations pour in more cash. They are even taking actions IRL. For instance, Last month, an Amazon exec spoke at a PA Senate hearing and Jeff Bezos and company are dropping a $20B investment in the Keystone State, expected to create around 1,250 jobs.
- 🏭 Making Plans - Things seem to be moving quickly, but data center plans have been in the works for years. Back in 2021, state lawmakers passed a tax bill to boost an existing tax credit for purchasing servers and other data center-related equipment. By the end of the decade, the Shapiro administration says these projects could cost over $50M in tax revenue…per year!
- 🔌 Grease Lightning - Shapiro also came up with the “Lightning Plan” to make AI projects more seamless. The bills contain everything from new tax incentives to reductions in energy costs. Critics of the plan say it’s light on climate concerns, especially water usage.
🔥Bottom line: We love tech advancements, but we hate taxpayers footing the bill. Sky high utility costs piled onto our plates is the last thing hardworking citizens need. Fingers crossed we get some protections in place (and lower electric bills). Wondering how the PA economy impacts workers? Catch up on the latest in this article.
How much have your energy bills gone up this year?
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