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The AI Threats to Climate Change [1]
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Date: 2024-03
Climate Action Against Disinformation's report highlights the risks that artificial intelligence poses to the climate crisis.
This new report from the Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) explores the risks that AI poses to the climate crisis.
“AI companies spread hype that they might save the planet, but currently they are doing just the opposite,” said Michael Khoo, Climate Disinformation Program Director at Friends of the Earth. “AI companies risk turbocharging climate disinformation, and their energy use is causing a dangerous increase to overall US consumption, with a corresponding increase of carbon emissions.”
Key Findings:
AI systems are increasingly demanding vast amounts of energy and water. On an industry-wide level, the International Energy Agency estimates the energy use from data centers that power AI will double in just the next two years, consuming as much energy as Japan. These data centers and AI systems also use large amounts of water in operations and are often located in areas that already face water shortages.
On an industry-wide level, the International Energy Agency estimates the energy use from data centers that power AI will double in just the next two years, consuming as much energy as Japan. These data centers and AI systems also use large amounts of water in operations and are often located in areas that already face water shortages. AI will help spread climate disinformation. The World Economic Forum in 2024 identified AI-generated mis- and disinformation as the world’s greatest threat (followed by climate change), saying “large-scale AI models have already enabled an explosion in falsified information.” AI will allow climate deniers to more easily, cheaply and rapidly develop persuasive false content and spread it across social media, targeted advertising and search engines.
Based on the findings, CAAD has three priority recommendations for tech companies and regulators to adopt and implement, including:
Transparency: Companies must report on energy use and emissions produced, assess environmental and social justice implications of developing their technologies and explain how their AI models produce information.
Companies must report on energy use and emissions produced, assess environmental and social justice implications of developing their technologies and explain how their AI models produce information. Safety: Companies must demonstrate that their products are safe for people and the environment and explain how their algorithms are safeguarded against discrimination, bias and disinformation. Governments must develop common standards on AI safety reporting and work with the International Panel on Climate Change to develop coordinated global oversight.
Companies must demonstrate that their products are safe for people and the environment and explain how their algorithms are safeguarded against discrimination, bias and disinformation. Governments must develop common standards on AI safety reporting and work with the International Panel on Climate Change to develop coordinated global oversight. Accountability: Governments should enforce rules on investigating and mitigating the climate impacts of AI with clear, strong penalties for noncompliance. Companies and their executives must be held accountable for any harms that occur as a result of their products.
You can read the report in full here.
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[1] Url:
https://caad.info/analysis/reports/the-ai-threats-to-climate-change/
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