The Potential Evolution of Environmental Narratives Towards Artificial Methods?
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a potential game-changer in the fight against global warming. However, the road ahead is not without its challenges.
Some argue that for AI to be truly successful in reversing the effects of climate change, the end goal must be climate justice, not profit. This perspective emphasises the need for equitable distribution of benefits and minimising the negative impacts on marginalised communities.
The AI market is expected to experience a significant growth over the next seven years, with an anticipated year-on-year increase of 37.3%. This growth, however, has already been cited as the reason behind mass layoffs in the tech sector.
AI is being increasingly used in various sectors, including media, entertainment, and content creation. For instance, Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol, who has been engaged with AI for a decade as part of his practice, is using AI to represent the scale and impact of climate change in his art.
In the tech industry, there are calls for more responsible AI development. Journalist and sustainability advisor Sophia Li cofounded STEWARD, a digital art initiative that encourages users to care for the natural world. STEWARD is trying to infiltrate the AI space from within, aiming to bring in marginalised communities and artists who have been left out of the dot-com era.
The EU is expected to pass the first AI law outside of China, requiring developers to apply safety checks, data governance measures, and risk mitigations on training data used for AI systems. This move is a step towards ensuring that AI is used ethically and responsibly.
AI can be instrumental in predicting extreme weather, providing advance warning of necessary evacuations or optimising farming practices for crop and soil management. However, it's important to note that not everyone is convinced that AI will be successful in the reversal of global warming, be it through environmental storytelling or ecotechnology.
The use of AI also raises concerns about bias and discrimination. Some AI systems are known to produce outputs that perpetuate existing social inequalities. To address this, companies like OpenAI, Avaya, and Databricks are working on developing and deploying regulatory-compliant generative AIs to prevent AI weaponization, uncontrolled data access, and misinformation spread.
The potential of AI in facilitating our transition from fossil fuels to green energy is undeniable. However, questions remain about the jobs that AI will create and whether they will lead to real climate action. For example, Lucy von Sturmer, founder of Creatives for Climate, questions whether the jobs created by AI will lead to meaningful climate action, stating that greenwashing robs us of a future.
On the optimistic side, Kristy Drutman, founder and host of Brown Girl Green, believes that AI could open up funding opportunities for companies who could scale their teams because they continue to scale impact efficiently.
Last week, a warning was issued by dozens of experts that artificial intelligence could lead to the extinction of humanity. This underscores the need for continued vigilance and ethical consideration in the development and use of AI.
In conclusion, while AI holds great promise in the fight against global warming, it is crucial that we approach its development and deployment with a focus on climate justice, ethical considerations, and a commitment to minimising bias and discrimination.
