America's Power Problem

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, let's welcome Kevin Serrilli to the program Futurists

(00:03):
and the host of Hello Future, the podcast on iHeartRadio. Kevin,
good to have you back in morning.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning, Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
You bet. We have talked on this show a lot
about what I think is a power crisis, certainly in
our area, but really broadly across the country. With these
data centers and server farms popping up. Are we headed
for a lot of brownouts and blackouts in the near
future in this country.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I don't think we are, because I think that harnessing
the power of innovation and unlocking the potential of artificial
intelligence through these data centers is going to lead to
new solutions. I think the alternative is an even gloomier picture,
which is that America loses ground to China in the

(00:54):
war for artificial intelligence supremacy. America invented AI. America should
be proud of its innovation and harnessing the power of
artificial intelligence. But what we don't want to have happened.
And we've seen this play out throughout history, where America
creates and invents something and then another country, you know,
gets ahead of us. I don't want to see that

(01:14):
happen with China.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Well, you have power plans, they're not power plans, but
data center is going up. They don't, they don't have
any they're setting idol right because they don't have any
power correct.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
And in fact, there's a new great report out from
the Wall Street Journal this week about data centers in
California with Nvidia that they're not able to use these
data centers as a result of the antiquated power grid system.
So I believe, as you and I have talked about before,
we're at the start of the Second Industrial Revolution. And
the best analogy that I can make is when horses

(01:52):
were people who were supporting horses were going against the
automobile industry when America's auto industry was starting to replace horses.
But think of what it unlocked. Yes, it put a
lot of horse industry folks out of business, but at
the same time, it created the automobile industry. And it
also created the highway infrastructure in our country. We can't

(02:14):
even comprehend that less than one hundred years ago, we
didn't even have roads. Okay, So the digital infrastructure, harnessing AI,
these data centers are the highways to the future.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
All true. The last time Coven you were on here,
I asked you what is the next big thing, and
you said quantum computing. And now there is a thirty
acre quantum facility being built in Illinois, right, what does
that portend for us when that thing comes online?

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Quantum computing is essentially the supercomputer that can solve complex
computing problems that would take current computers thousands of years
now in the future. I've asked multiple experts this, I said.
When I hear wantum computer, I think of a desktop
on my desk. Not the way to think of it.
Think of it as a reactor or an energy power reactor,

(03:08):
akin to a data center in size or a refinery
in size. Why you should care about this two simple reasons.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
One, we want to make.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Sure that all of all of our current infrastructure is
quantum resistant because quantum computers, because of their power and
their capability, can break encryption that includes nuclear codes, that
includes financial systems, obviously cryptocurrency. This is what everybody thinks
of when they hear encryption, but it's beyond that. But

(03:40):
the other reason you should care is that it has
the ability to really change medicine and the ability to
find cures for diseases and whatnot. Because it can do
all of this in the blink of an eye. It
will be subtle. This shift as it comes online in
the next ten or fifteen years is more higher education
institution use it, cities and governments as well as corporations obviously,

(04:05):
But again, according to the experts that I'm talking with,
the US has the lead, but we've got to make
sure that we protect that lead against China.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Just quickly before we go here talking with futurists, Kevin Sirilli,
do you worry as I do about the security of
the grid itself and hardening it against an electromagnetic pulse
or an attack? What does that future look like?

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Well, it's such a great question. Do I worry about it? Yes,
But I also am optimistic that what I worry about
more is that the public and the political conversation and
the mainstream media does a terrible job of oversimplifying this.
Doesn't you know that the public doesn't understand that we
need to harness our innovation to protect it and not

(04:47):
you know, leave it vulnerable to attacks. So I think
it's up to the lawmakers, and this cycle is going
to be hugely important. I believe personally that these issues
should transcend politics because it's a matter of national security.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
As do I, and apparently we can't get him to
pay attention. Kevin. Thank you always good to have you on.
Thanks Kevin, Than