In a world where children might see server racks more often than teddy bears, an unusual art object has emerged – a plush toy named Bezzie. Created by artist Rajiv Basu, this toy outwardly resembles a cute character, but upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a stylized server rack. Its main feature is that when squeezed, Bezzie emits a characteristic, rather annoying hum recorded in real data centers in the USA.
Bezzie is not just a toy, but a physical embodiment of the satirical project 'Adopt A Data Center.' It aims to draw attention to the flip side of the rapid development of artificial intelligence: the enormous consumption of energy and water by data centers. According to a UN study, by 2030, data centers could consume nearly a thousand terawatt-hours of electricity per year, and AI-related water usage could equal the needs of 1.3 billion people.
The creators of the toy, the studio Basura and musician Big Data, intentionally gave Bezzie a deliberately simple, even slightly careless appearance, so that it would resemble an old second-hand toy. However, its 'belly' is adorned with rows of blue LEDs, imitating indicators on servers. Each of the 20 toys was handmade in the USA. A yellow tag with the inscription 'Hug me for an eternal piercing hum' directly hints at its 'special feature.'
The 'Adopt A Data Center' project mimics a charity portal, but instead of a certificate, it offers access to journalistic materials and data on problems associated with data centers: noise pollution, resource consumption, land use. The campaign slogan 'All they need is everything' accurately reflects the essence of the claims against the industry. Bezzie, despite its satirical focus, makes one think about the price of technological progress, which is paid not only by developers but also by the environment.