Nadia - I am also curious if any of the presenters talked about how much energy that AI is using? The last (relatively unbiased article I read - which I think was in the Washington Post) said that AI uses more computing power (read electrical energy) than bitcoin server farms, and that those within the industry are hoping for an 'energy …
Nadia - I am also curious if any of the presenters talked about how much energy that AI is using? The last (relatively unbiased article I read - which I think was in the Washington Post) said that AI uses more computing power (read electrical energy) than bitcoin server farms, and that those within the industry are hoping for an 'energy miracle' in the form of nuclear fusion. It seems somehow incongruous to me that the generation who is adamantly pro-environment seems radically unaware of the environmental impacts of the tools that they are a huge part of creating. Sure, AI generates cool pictures (as long as you don't count fingers too closely) but it seems like it is the "next shiny toy" coming out of the box. I used to work in academic research and I absolutely believe that AI can help us with new drug discoveries, figure out the most effective way to treat diseases, etc., but should we put the brakes on its broad general use when it is environmentally unsustainable? Of course, that answer is likely already answered as several other commenters (and you yourself) mentioned shareholder value. So, we will burn up the planet even faster while making nice shiny toys and cool pics. I do hope that we do find apps to help differentially enabled folks, find new drugs etc., but I hope we don't create killer robots (article yesterday in the NYTimes).
Thanks for bringing this up, Jim. Eric is the one who educated me on this issue - one that I had never learned about much less considered until he did. In the session I attended, yes, it was mentioned that the immediate regulation of nuclear science led to the near total suppression of innovation in the private sector. So, the presenter claimed, it was never allowed to be used for energy in the way it could have. What someone else brought up is the actual hardware that is used now for servers will be obsolete when AI is more dominant - I guess it uses different "stuff" so the result will be a great deal of electronic waste.
Nadia - I am also curious if any of the presenters talked about how much energy that AI is using? The last (relatively unbiased article I read - which I think was in the Washington Post) said that AI uses more computing power (read electrical energy) than bitcoin server farms, and that those within the industry are hoping for an 'energy miracle' in the form of nuclear fusion. It seems somehow incongruous to me that the generation who is adamantly pro-environment seems radically unaware of the environmental impacts of the tools that they are a huge part of creating. Sure, AI generates cool pictures (as long as you don't count fingers too closely) but it seems like it is the "next shiny toy" coming out of the box. I used to work in academic research and I absolutely believe that AI can help us with new drug discoveries, figure out the most effective way to treat diseases, etc., but should we put the brakes on its broad general use when it is environmentally unsustainable? Of course, that answer is likely already answered as several other commenters (and you yourself) mentioned shareholder value. So, we will burn up the planet even faster while making nice shiny toys and cool pics. I do hope that we do find apps to help differentially enabled folks, find new drugs etc., but I hope we don't create killer robots (article yesterday in the NYTimes).
Thanks for bringing this up, Jim. Eric is the one who educated me on this issue - one that I had never learned about much less considered until he did. In the session I attended, yes, it was mentioned that the immediate regulation of nuclear science led to the near total suppression of innovation in the private sector. So, the presenter claimed, it was never allowed to be used for energy in the way it could have. What someone else brought up is the actual hardware that is used now for servers will be obsolete when AI is more dominant - I guess it uses different "stuff" so the result will be a great deal of electronic waste.
Great and often ignored point!