Introduction
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is an incredibly helpful tool. AI can compose, paint, speak, and even move vehicles. But AI has problems, specifically for Earth. AI eats tons of power, pollutes, and devastates nature. In this blog, let us find out how AI is bad for the environment and how we can support it.
AI Uses a Lot of Energy
AI eats tons of power. Big AI models, those powering chatbots, as well as those creating images, need huge computers. These machines work day and night, demanding tons of electricity.
Imagining you leaving lights ablaze back home day and night. That wastes tons of power, yes? AI computers waste the same but just on an enormous scale. AI servers need thousand lights, machinery, and fans to stay chilled.
Most AI companies get power by burning fuels, like coal and gas. These processes give out smoke, giving out air pollution, unhealthy air, and also causing climate devastation. AI grows so fast that power use grows every year. Scientists say AI, one day, may use as much power as some nations. That means emissions, further ruining Earth.
AI also eats power, by the way, while it gets trained. An AI system has to study tons of data beforehand so it knows how to reply, say, paint. These weeks, even months, worth of study, need huge electricity. Some AI models use as much power as an entire city over one year. Not very green, this.
It is worth reading, so let us continue.
AI Produces Too Much Carbon
When AI computers are operational, they release an entity referred to as a “carbon footprint.” What this signifies is that it emits carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the environment. Too many CO₂s warm the Earth. It’s referred to as climate change.
AI data centers (big rooms full of several thousand computers) release several tons of CO₂ per calendar year. That equals hundreds of thousand automobiles driving day and night. The bigger AI gets, the bigger CO₂ enters the environment, devastating the Earth. If AI keeps evolving, the Earth has an immense problem with emissions.
Another problem lies in the reality that many corporations believe little carbon AI emits. Some corporations claim AI lowers emissions, but these corporations do not account for AI models’ emissions. What this signifies is the authentic effect AI has on the environment gets masked.
AI Wastes a Lot of Water
Did you know AI needs water so it does not overheat? Powerful computers overheat while processing over an immense time. In an attempt to cool them, corporations use abundant water.
Many AI corporations consume many liters of water per day. That equals the same unit of water people drink over one calendar calendar. If AI keeps evolving, maybe there will not be enough water for people, pets, and vegetation.
For example, there has already occurred water shortage in some parts. AI companies extract water from rivers and lakes, leaving less water for farmers and people. This is an issue as there has to be clean water to survive. If AI keeps extracting water, many parts may develop droughts.
AI Needs Many Computers and Wires
AI demands specialized wires, computer chips, and computer. These are difficult to build. AI companies employ materials like gold and silver to build AI machines. These materials are underground. In an attempt to obtain them, people have to drill huge holes known as mines.
Miner makes woods, rivers, and habitats destruct. These also pollute air by creating particles of dust and smoke. Whenever AI companies buy more and more computer, there is greater pollution.
Most rare materials are also difficult to recycle. What this means is that when AI machines become old, it is not always possible to recycle them. This adds to further waste and pollution.
AI Creates a Lot of Trash
AI technology develops very fast. Every single year, there are newer, faster, and smarter computer. These old machines get discarded, creating electronic waste (e-waste). Electronic waste is an issue as it has chemical compounds that spoil soil, water, and air.
If AI keeps developing, there will be too much waste for earth. Animals and human beings fall ill due to staying near e-waste. Some AI companies try recyling, but it is not possible to recycle some computer parts. What this means is that plenty of AI equipment gets dumped in landfills, creating further waste.
Some countries send e-waste elsewhere, there it gets burned, dumped, dumped in rivers. Makes them sick, injures them, devastates nature.
AI Makes Factories Use More Power
Most companies these days use AI to automate machinery in factories. AI makes clothes faster, smartphones, automobiles faster. But it also means power gets consumed by factories. Power means greater pollution, harming nature.
If all the factories in the whole world had AI, there’d be greater pollution, it gets hotter, too. Not nice for Earth. More factories also means more materials get dug out, including metal, harming woods, harming animals.
Factories fueled by AI replace human beings, by the way. Not nice for people losing work. Also, it means machines work day and night, sucking electricity, causing further pollution.
How Can We Make AI Better for the Earth?
AI does work for us, but wisely must it be used. These are some strategies by means of which AI may perhaps get earth-friendlier:
- Green power must be mandated – AI firms must use solar power, wind power, not coal, not gas.
- Develop power-conserving AI computers – Scientists must develop AI computers that use less power.
- Recycle old computers – Firms must recycle computer parts, not get dumped.
- Use AI only when necessary – AI must not waste time by creating worthless images.
- Planting woods must happen – Woods absorb air pollutants containing CO₂, cooling Earth.
- Limit AI training – Firms must restrict AI so it takes less power, less water.
- Use AI to support the environment – AI has the power to track pollution, pick up litter, and save pets.
Conclusion
AI is an intelligent tool, but it does not always get along nicely with the Earth. AI squanders power, squanders water, and produces waste. If we are not careful, AI will heat the Earth and dirty it.
But there exists an option. We can compel AI firms to use green power and recycle computer equipment. We can also only employ AI when it absolutely must. By being intelligent, we can seal down the Earth and green it for the future.
What does it think? Is AI necessary so it does not harm the Earth? Share it.
