Cases display, WVU Downtown Library, April - August 2026
Curated by WVU Art in the Libraries' intern, Allyssa Persinger, a graduate student in Professional Writing & Editing, Power, Data, & the Plane.
While artificial intelligence has rapidly integrated into our daily routines, school curricula, and the global job market, its physical footprint is often left out of the conversation. This exhibit aims to pull back the curtain on the environmental "hidden costs" of the digital age, bringing necessary awareness to the ecological dangers caused by the extraction of resources and the massive energy demands of modern technology.
The display explores the dual nature of AI, acknowledging its potential to reduce professional burnout or assist in renewable energy modeling while highlighting its strain on limited resources like energy and water. Visitors will learn about the global impact of data centers—massive buildings full of computers that require millions of gallons of water for cooling—and how these international issues are hitting close to home. A central focus of the exhibit is the recent expansion of data centers in West Virginia, such as Google’s 2026 multibillion-dollar project in Putnam County, and the resulting community concerns regarding local resource extraction and utility access.
To deepen the dialogue, the exhibit features a curated selection of literature from leading scholars and investigative journalists. Through works like Karen Hao’s *Empire of AI*, Dustin Edwards’ *Enduring Digital Damage*, and Kate Crawford’s *Atlas of AI*, the display traces the lifecycle of our devices from mineral mining to electronic waste. Ultimately, *Power, Data, & the Planet* challenges us to realize that technology alone cannot save the environment; rather, it is our informed choices and the way we choose to use these tools that will determine our ecological future.
Exhibition in conjunction with Earth Day and the April 23 event, Mountain Artist in Residence Talk: Remain.