The impact of bitcoin on the environment has been a hot topic for the last two years, but now, the carbon footprint of artificial intelligence (AI) software is also being scrutinized. Environmentalists have turned their attention to AI and its significant electricity consumption and water usage in cooling data centers. Reports suggest that AI, including Openai’s Chatgpt program, is consuming a massive amount of energy and leaving a significant carbon footprint.
According to a report by Bloomberg, AI uses more energy than other forms of computing. The article cites that training a single AI model can consume more electricity than 100 US homes use in a year. While researchers have estimated the amount of energy needed to create an AI model, there is no overall estimate for the total amount of power the technology uses. An academic paper published by students from the University of Colorado Riverside and the University of Texas Arlington claims that Chatgpt uses a lot of electricity and leverages water to cool down data centers. The paper further claims that training the GPT-3 model consumed 185,000 gallons of water.
The environmental impact of AI and its carbon footprint has been a cause for concern. Mark Labbe, an author at techtarget.com, insists that data centers and large AI models use massive amounts of energy and are harmful to the environment. Another article from numenta.com also insists that AI is “harming” the planet, and the author claims the trend could accelerate the climate crisis if not addressed. However, some believe that the so-called climate crisis is a lie.
Climate alarmists are not only targeting bitcoin mining and AI but also rice farming, which is being blamed for significant CO2 emissions. A recent report from Agence France-Presse (AFP) has been criticized for reporting that rice farming causes CO2 emissions. However, others argue that eliminating rice would kill millions by starvation. The debate on climate change science has raged on for years on social media and forums on the internet.
While bitcoin provides economic freedom as a censorship-resistant currency, it must also address climate change concerns. Just like bitcoin, the environmental impact of artificial intelligence and rice farming has also come under scrutiny. While many follow the rules and regulations set by climate change experts and bureaucrats, others hold contrarian views and argue that the science is not settled.
In conclusion, the impact of AI on the environment and its carbon footprint is a cause for concern. Reports suggest that AI is consuming a massive amount of energy and leaving a significant carbon footprint. However, the debate on climate change science has raged on for years, and not everyone agrees with the studies and alarming headlines. It is essential to investigate and regulate subjective valuations and arbitrary opinions of what is good for the planet and what is not.
