VR pioneer Jaron Lanier says tech is hurting its own AI pitch

Jaron Lanier, a pioneer of virtual reality, says Silicon Valley is sabotaging itself. In a New York Times piece, he argues the industry pitches AI badly and treats areas picked for data centers as sacrifice zones. His point is that this erodes public trust in AI.

What he is saying

Lanier is also a longtime critic of the tech industry. He says Silicon Valley has a special talent for offering amazing products and then ruining them with ridiculous ideas about how to use them. In his view, the products are not always the problem. The pitch and the plan around them are.

What a data center is

A data center is a large building full of computers. These machines run the online services people use every day, including AI tools. Companies need places to put them, and those places are often near real communities.

Who it affects

Data centers may be planned near where you live or work. How companies treat local communities could shape which AI tools people are willing to trust and use. Business owners who rely on AI products may also feel the effects if public support turns sour.

What is not known yet

The full article was not available for this report, so the specific examples and details Lanier gives are unclear. It is also not known which companies or locations he has in mind, or whether any firm has responded to his criticism.