By Chanel BORDET
Edited by Léa LEMAIRE
The use of artificial intelligence has risen immensely in these last couple of years. It helps facilitate daily tasks and could improve even more. 77% of the population uses AI in many ways. Should the progress of artificial intelligence take priority over environmental protection?
What is AI?
AI is a technology that simulates human intelligence in machines through algorithms. It is commonly used in navigation apps like Google maps, in digital assistances like Siri, in search algorithms, …
The first AI computer program was invented in 1953 by Alan Turing. He wanted an instrument that could learn from experience, and since then, technology has improved considerably and particularly in the past few years.
What major problems arise from AI?
AI machines can be found in AI data centers, and these facilities are made to house multiple artificial intelligence technologies in one center.
To build these computers weighing 2Kg, one machine consumes 800g of raw material. In order to fuel the AI, a high purity silicone chip is used, requiring a big number of resources and water to be used. As a result, after a while, if the computer does not work anymore or is not as efficient as it used to be, it gets discarded. But these materials are harmful to our surroundings, if they are not recycled in the right way. This is also known as e-waste.
When functioning, AI uses a lot of power which burns gas that goes up into the atmosphere and destroys the ozone layer. Although the centers use water to cool the devices, 9 liters of water still evaporate per kWh of energy. AI consumes the equivalent of 4 to 6 times the consumption of water of Denmark or half of the consumption of the UK. This is wasting quite a lot of limited resources. For every question asked to Chat GPT, the equivalent of 500ml of water is used and the equivalent in electricity of 14 led light bulbs used for 1 hour. This is worrying as in a day, around 10 million requests are made to Chat GPT.
However, due to rapid development of Artificial Intelligence and growing demand, new databases must be developed which increases the risk of ruining our environment as well.
In 2017 Google had the project to implement their data base in Bissen (Luxembourg) on a ground equivalent to 47 football fields. This could have increased the country’s water consumption by 10% and the demand for energy which means more harmful gases would be emitted. To meet the growing demand for water, Google was required to utilize wastewater. Even though the project raised 170 complaints against it, it still got accepted in 2020. However, so far, the project has been put on hold given the fact that Google opened a data center in Belgium and voiced that Luxembourg was not a priority for the moment. If a base did open in Luxembourg, it would lead to an increase of job opportunities in the country but could also mean a higher consumption of water and energy.
It is undeniable that AI represents a considerable step forward for technology which could have beneficial effects in areas such as medicine. However, this development also has a cost on our environment that could exceed the expected benefits. It is this equilibrium that we should always have in mind while considering new technologies.