i keep wanting people to focus on the actual effects of the technology without making absolutely wild assertions about the nature of, e.g., knowledge, or completely peripheral issues such as "is this a good thing to spend as much water on as golf courses."
these existential questions about AI all seem to me to be inherently tied to the AI hype cycle, and a deliberate lateral shift from meaningful questions about how the technological and economic trajectory of society
Same with the energy use. Some point soon there will be "renewable energy only" AI firms. Solar is getting cheaper every day.
The revenge porn machine will still be bad when it's carbon neutral!
I think this kinda brings us full circle to the water arguement, though. The amount of water/energy/resources its using at the end of the day are scarce and we should be concerned how scarce resources are used on an overheating planet.
any resources we're organizing around ultimately frivolous endeavors (from AI girlfriends to Shein to single use plastics) should be scrutinized on their social impacts at both ends, moral hazard AND waste. I think there's room to do both.
Apr 27, 2025 14:11
