First-of-its-kind US bill would address the environmental costs of the technology, but there’s a long way to go.

one assessment suggests that ChatGPT, the chatbot created by OpenAI in San Francisco, California, is already consuming the energy of 33,000 homes. It’s estimated that a search driven by generative AI uses four to five times the energy of a conventional web search. Within years, large AI systems are likely to need as much energy as entire nations.

  • @MagicShel
    0•5 months ago

    Is it a lie? That’s just what I infer from you being completely dismissive that AI could be worth it, or that a cleaner power source could be found, or that the same silicon dedicated to another purpose would be just as damaging to the environment.

    And look, it’s fine to hate AI if you do, but that makes this whole conversation about wasting water pointless if solving the problem through either better technology or perhaps proving it’s a more efficient use of water if it accomplishes enough work. Why would anyone put any effort into addressing those issues if they aren’t what really bothers you about AI? I could’ve done something more productive with my time.

    And none of this is personal, by the way. We don’t see eye to eye on AI, but I agree with probably 90% of what you post and disagreeing here doesn’t make me respect you any less as a person. I haven’t downvoted anything you’ve said. But if we’re going to discuss the issue I’d like it to be fruitful which isn’t possible if aren’t discussing the actual issue.

    And if we are, then why so dismissive about solving the energy issue more broadly in a way that actually saves water regardless of what those compute cycles are spent on? Because the trend is that energy usage will continue to rise regardless of AI, so what you are arguing you want isn’t going to achieve the outcome you desire. So instead of a pointless gesture, let’s find an actual solution because it isn’t actually AI that’s to blame here.

    • Flying Squid
      -1•4 months ago

      Is it a lie?

      Yes it is.

      And none of this is personal, by the way.

      Apart from when you decided to lie about me instead of asking what I thought.

      I’d call this pretty damn personal-

      This isn’t about the energy or water. This is about you hate AI and any angle you can find to attack it is good. Seems disingenuous to me. But also a waste of time because you don’t actually want to hear energy solutions, you just want to stop AI.

      And also a lie.

      Let’s see if you will admit that it was both a personal attack and a lie.

      I don’t hold out much hope.