Why does everyone go on about ChatGPT being so bad for the environment?

[Brownbearwhitebear]

Surely other IT that uses datacentres etc is equally as bad? Or am I missing something? I'm not sure why people are so against it - every thread about in on here someone will pop up and start on about carbon footprints etc. What about flying/cars/eating meat/all the other things we're told not to do? How does it compare to those?

I find it incredibly useful, when combined with sensible critical thinking. AIBU to think it's just people who are concerned about it taking over jobs/the world that like to point out the flaws?

I've only seen posters say that to people using it for stupid reasons, like asking it to create an image of their cat as the prime minister, or what they'd look like with Botox and an arse lift.

That and asking questions they could've just googled themselves. A lot of people are not combining the use of AI with critical thinking, like you are.

Google’s GHG footprint has increased 48% due to the energy and water demand of AI.

AI can be very energy intensive during model training and later when the model is used. Luckily electricity is the thing we’re best at decarbonising, so there is hope. But cooling the infrastructure with water is another issue, the water can’t just come from the sea apparently, it needs to be quite pure. Running data centres in areas of water stress is a bad move for that reason (and so is operating golf courses in those areas too).

My company runs AI workloads in a data centre in Stockholm Sweden, running on 100% renewables and with water abundantly available.

Each request uses at least four times more computing power/time (and its associated electrucal and coolantr sources) than a simple Google search. In a lot of cases you're using a jcb to open a door. So it's wasteful in that sense.

The internet is the second biggest pollutant I believe. Sustainability is becoming addressed more and more by the web industry.

I was pretty shocked by the amount of water it uses. But then I would likely consume many cups of tea and snacks attempting to solve some of the complicated qns I've asked it, so probably evens out in those cases. I don't use it for petty stuff / fun.

In my personal circle, I've only noticed comments like that from people who drive giant cars and regularly fly short and long haul so that makes me smirk😏

I looked up how long it would take to have the same environmental impact for 10 queries a day and one return flight London to L.A., it was something like 37 years.

It seems performative to me, people like to feel and look superior so it's more about declaring you're on the good side than actually giving a hoot about the environment.

@CommissarySushinot sure why you wouldn't use it to make your cat into the priminister to be honest 🤣

OP, I've always thought the same as you. I've never really used it so maybe I just don't understand it 🤷🏻‍♂️

Because AI is only a fairly recent thing compared to the others you mention, but the extent that it is growing means that is a massive, massive problem - particularly when it comes to water usage.

Plus, most people use AI for utterly inane, pointless, wasteful reasons. It's the digital equivalent of plastic pollution in the ocean, basically.

Prime Minister (ie the most important minister)

no such thing as a priminister