• Mihies@programming.dev
    318·
    13 days ago

    AI is much more than the quality of the code. It’s also about stealing the knowledge, overusing Earth’s resources like water and power, pollution, killing consumer computers through RAM and memory shortage in general - the very same computers that run Linux -, making average people more ignorant, risking another gigantic bubble burst and so on. And as a cherry on the top, comparing AI to compilers. Riiiight.

    • NoLemurs@lemmy.world
      209·
      13 days ago

      Have you actually looked into the real environmental impact of AI is compared to, say, eating meat, driving a car, or taking a yearly plane flight? It’s a rounding error. Have you looked into the numbers? Compared the environmental impact of your AI use to the environmental impact of taking a yearly vacation on a plane?

      The RAM shortage is real, but very temporary. Check the news today! Chip stocks like Sk Hynix are way down because people are worried about over-production. The fact that a new technology caused a temporary shortage in a resource just isn’t even a coherent argument against the technology. There’s discussion to be had here about whether we should as a civilization reserve some resources for other industries. That’s a discussion we could have. But the idea that AI caused a temporary shortage in RAM, so that makes it bad is… like, really ridiculous? You must see that that doesn’t even make sense as an argument?

      These are not arguments that hold up to scrutiny. You should consider whether you accepted these arguments because you looked into the details and they actually make sense, or if you accepted them because they’re telling you what you want to believe.

      • Mihies@programming.devEnglish
        31·
        12 days ago

        Basically you are saying that me buying and throwing a plastic bottle in to the nature is fine, since one bottle is nothing. Also I’m sure that (new) data centers run on few AAA batteries.

        • NoLemurs@lemmy.world
          33·
          12 days ago

          I didn’t say that.

          Listen, I’ve got nothing against you hating AI. There’s lots of valid reasons to be concerned, especially with the implications for the future of jobs and work. The way corporations are adopting AI is legitimately concerning.

          Just don’t pretend it’s about the environment when it’s not. That isn’t just an unconvincing argument, it hurts the environmental movement generally.

          It’s the plastic straws all over again. You understand that the stupid straws debate did the environment no favors right? Fighting AI as an environmental issue is much worse because the AI is coming, and you will lose that fight. If you’re arguing for more controls about water and power use, I’m with you. If you’re arguing for a carbon tax, I will sing your praises. If you’re trying to fight the idea of AI itself, and pretending that it’s about the environment, that’s where I have a problem.