Holly Bailey, writing for The Washington Post about xAI in Memphis:
In late April, hundreds of people gathered at a South Memphis high school to speak out about xAI’s turbines. Dozens of Shelby County sheriff’s deputies along with Tennessee National Guard members were there to provide security, a surprising show of force for a public health hearing.
“What do they think we are going to do?” a woman asked in the parking lot, eyeing the massive security presence.
Inside, [longtime Musk associate and xAI boss Brent] Mayo, dressed in an xAI hat and shirt, was surrounded by deputies. It was his third public appearance on behalf of the company in a year, and he was shouted down almost immediately as he read from a statement defending the company’s commitment to being a good partner to Memphis.
“We are here to create jobs and support Memphis in being a leader in future technology,” Mayo said, his words barely audible. Visibly frustrated, he left the lectern and soon exited the meeting, trailed by officers. “Did he just leave?” someone shouted.
What a coward.
Bailey continues:
Young, the mayor, stands by the project, pointing to new announcements from other technology companies that plan to expand operations here. Supporters say it is part of Memphis’s transformation into the “Digital Delta,” a nod to the city’s location atop the Mississippi River delta where cotton production and manufacturing once reigned.
Young said he is constantly meeting people “crying out for help,” leaving him determined to find ways to revive the city. “Because as mad as y’all are, I am, too,” the mayor recently told a room of xAI critics, speaking to the frustration he has felt seeing his hometown in decline.
“I know y’all feel like it’s us getting exploited, but we need to speak from a place of strength,” he said. “We need to exploit this project for our good.”
What naivety.