Ever since the debut of ChatGPT in 2022, artificial intelligence has been inescapable. Whether it be on social media or in classrooms, AI has become part of everyday life, and many say it’s an unavoidable advancement to society. But is it really necessary or beneficial?
While more developed and regulated AI on a larger scale has potential to benefit society greatly, the general public’s everyday use of AI programs is unnecessary and extremely risky.
One of the little known impacts of AI use is the energy required to run even the simplest programs. According to Yale Environment 360, the predicted electricity consumption of data centers by 2026 is 1,000 terawatts, which is roughly equivalent to the current electricity consumption of Japan, not to mention the billions of gallons of water required to cool an AI system.
Additionally, a majority of tech firms keep data about their AI usage airtight, making it all the more difficult to gauge its impacts. Even though legislators are working to place regulations, it can take years for real change to occur, enough time for massive damage to be done.
Although many people initially thought AI would be helpful as an educational tool, the current versions of AI being used in classrooms are only seeming to decrease actual learning. Every day, teachers struggle more and more to prevent students from using AI on assignments, essays and even tests. Even though this may not be any worse than Googling answers, AI has the potential to spread misinformation that has impacts not only on people’s learning, but their lives.
One way AI spreads misinformation is by creating deepfakes, which are ultra-realistic videos that are artificially manipulated. Everyone has probably seen at least one type of deepfake on social media. A deepfake of the Hollywood sign on fire has spread rapidly, and although a quick google search could disprove it, there are many instances of deepfakes that have had real impact on people’s lives, such as the creation of falsified explicit images of everyone from public figures to even children.
When using the internet, it seems impossible to avoid coming across an AI generated image, video, voiceover or even entire songs written by AI. While some of these creations can be funny and enjoyable, they threaten to take away opportunities from human creators such as artists, voice actors and musicians, whose professions are already not awarded much value.
While AI has the potential to make basic everyday activities easier, the time and energy it takes to run the simplest programs, not to mention ethically regulate them, seems to be much more trouble than it’s worth. Maybe it can produce an algorithmic song or an uninteresting essay, but human invention will always be the most valuable form of creation.
