AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a tool for humanity, but is it ethical in comparison to its effects on the world? AI datacenters eat up the surrounding resources, and release massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every day. Along with this, AI is rapidly decreasing the cognitive function of its users, as it is getting harder and harder for AI users to form decision making thoughts. Expanding on these ideas, what are the consequences of AI?
AI has been around for years, since the 1950s in its primitive form. In recent years however, Generative AI has been at the forefront of all AI usage. Generative AI, despite its convenience, is detrimental to the surrounding environment close to its data centers. AI consumes gallons upon gallons of water to cool its data centers, resulting in the nearby cities to data centers being unable to drink the tap water. The water is contaminated, and undrinkable. Furthermore, AI released vast amounts of greenhouse gases, with some releasing over 500 tons of carbon dioxide per day. AI datacenters also consume large amounts of electricity, with AI currently being the 5th largest consumer of electricity at 1,050 terawatt-hours being consumed thus far. Overall, the environmental impact of AI vastly outweighs the benefits.
AI not only has Environmental consequences, but also has an array of Neurological consequences on its users. An MIT study found that out of three groups of people writing essays, one using AI, one using a search engine, and one using only brain power, the group using AI severely underperformed when prompted to write an essay using only their cognitive skills. During a four month observation, it was found that people who used AI in their daily lives were lacking in their Neural, linguistic and behavioral skills. This, paired with the potential inclusion of AI in education, presents a very possible decline in students’ IQ , and could do more harm than good. Following this concept, the Use of AI chatbots has led to an emotional dependency in some cases, leading to a lack of human connection, creating a blurred line between humanity and AI.
AI chatbots are designed to respond like humans, and can be indistinguishable to the uneducated. The effects of these chatbots have resulted in AI chatbot induced cognitive atrophy, meaning a neurological deficiency caused by AI. In some cases, people have even grown to prefer talking with AI chatbots, rather than developing a real human connection. This may come from the fact that chatbots are designed to be appeasing, and are designed to output whatever reaction the user is trying to get out of the Chatbot. With that in mind, I don’t think that the consequences of AI are truly worth the negative effects.
Opposing this argument, one can bring up some of the good AI does. AI is a helpful tool for Disabled or differently abled individuals, and can make their daily lives easier. These functions include allowing the disabled to interact with the world around them with language interpreters, AI controls for their house, and can even make the person safer with tools for monitoring the health of a person. AI can also allow people with disabilities to create art, and write. While these arguments are valid, it does not hold weight compared to the negative effects. Along with the negative effects, leaving a person’s health and safety in the hands of an emotionless AI model is dangerous, as a simple power outage could complicate things easily. Furthermore, having human caretakers can create more job opportunities in the medical field, and can ensure that the patients can get what they need without the risk of AI implementing an incorrect command, and preventing the patient from putting their lives in the hands of a computer. Similarly, while AI is able to create “art” for the differently abled, there is no soul behind the art. Disabled individuals have made art and written books, therefore claiming that they need the assistance of AI to create art is inherently ableist. If a person has the willpower to create something, not even a disability can stop them from at least creating the outline for their goal.
AI, while a good idea in theory, has quickly become more consumed with Negative connotations than positive. AI datacenters eat up gallons of water and deplete natural resources, while releasing dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. AI has also been found to have links to neurological disorders, such as AICICA. AI may have some positives, but the negatives far outweigh the positives. While AI may provide easy access to information, is it worth all of the damage it causes?
