The catastrophic threat posed by AI that Big Tech doesn't want to talk about

But the clearest threat posed by developments such as chatbots and other automated inventions which nobody seems to talk about is their impact on the planet. These technologies depend on such an eye-watering level of electricity that it now demands urgent attention.

It’s difficult to associate clicking a button with emissions which cause devastating and irreversible damage to our environment. But we already know the internet and its associated infrastructure consumes more energy than the aviation industry, and AI is only going to turbo-charge that damaging contribution.

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The true cost of chatbots

Big tech doesn’t want to talk about this because it’s so wholly invested in the technology. It wants us to ignore the catastrophic impact increased energy and water use has on our planet.

At the Eco-Friendly Web Alliance, we consistently hear of professionals who had no knowledge of generative AI a year ago but now use it on a daily basis. Imagine a desk worker in the office of a Scottish local authority. In years past, they may have sat with an internet browser open together with their email and some basic applications.

But now they sit all day with a chatbot or other AI software open to assist with their work. The electricity use has increased significantly as a result, driven by the power demands of the data centres behind this technology. Now, that may still seem like a small contribution, given it is only one employee, in one council office.

But multiply this again for another 100 people in that council and by 32 for Scotland’s other local authorities. Then include health boards, governments and quangos, not to mention desk-heavy industries like Edinburgh’s vast finance sector. Suddenly, the use of AI is guzzling electricity like a Hummer goes through diesel. And that’s only the contribution for Scotland.

Extraordinary water use

Where is the additional energy coming from, and can we be sure it is ethically and sustainably sourced? After all, 60 per cent of the world’s electricity comes from fossil fuels.

These data centres and servers which power AI use extraordinary amounts of water for cooling, something that will increase as the machines grow stronger and more powerful. Plainly, AI is going to be the next problem child of the environment.

All of this is not to say AI cannot have some positive effect on tackling climate change. There have been encouraging advancements in terms of understanding weather systems, driving innovation and developing solutions for conservation.

But it will be in vain if the technology itself is more a problem than a solution. We can’t turn off the tap, but we can urgently impose some standards upon AI which are currently missing.

That must include forcing tech companies to account for where their electricity comes from, and to show they are using it sustainably or at least taking compensatory green action.

The other concerns which apply to this new way of life, work and leisure are absolutely justified, and deserve to be part of the discussion. But none of it will matter if we allow AI to jeopardise our most precious commodity of all.

Shane Herath is the chair and founder of the Eco-Friendly Web Alliance