Is A.I. Energy Well Spent?
This depends mainly on the goal, of course, as with several other issues.
Obviously, A.I.’s global energy hunger is immense, probably at least as much as that of a small country. (*)
As for tourism
Besides many possibly positive aspects – such as learning about other cultures and enjoying Earth’s beauty – over-tourism kills the planet in well-known ways. Also, it kills many of the places tourists are traveling to — arguably most of all in Europe. (**)
Unfortunately, many tourists are not getting happier by it — quite the contrary. Over-tourism resembles an addiction.
Same for A.I.
Here, too, unfortunately, much of the energy spent originates from addiction-like behavior that doesn’t make users happy.
On the other hand, A.I. can be used for so many excellent purposes, such as addiction relief through a coach-bot. Am I thinking of Lisa?
A.I. as a solution to the energy problem
This is already happening in two directions: by helping us to be more energy-efficient and in the race toward clean energy sources.
As always, this (still) depends upon human decisions. We are eventually the ones who provoke the spending of A.I. energy — the why, what, and how.
Awareness
Let’s hope A.I. will help solve the problem soon enough.
Meanwhile, people should be aware and sensitive to the energy sink they are helping to realize through their everyday use of A.I.
The planet is indeed suffering tremendously. Climate disaster is destroying the lives and livelihoods of many who have no access to A.I. This is no insignificant collateral damage.
Making it worthwhile
The responsibility and the challenge lie in all of us who consume A.I.
This is, in the ways we conduct our everyday lives. Collectively, this shapes the present and future of humanity.
We’re generally not made to think this way. Yet, in the developed world, most of our actions influence the whole — planet-wise. Big present-day problems can only be solved by the sum of each of our actions. Spending immense amounts of A.I. energy is one of these problems.
It takes Compassion, basically, to see this, as it takes Compassion to make it worthwhile.
―
(*) https://www.theverge.com/24066646/ai-electricity-energy-watts-generative-consumption
(**) Grand Hotel Europa: A Novel ― Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, 2022
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