Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a software program that can reason, learn, and act in ways that would normally require human intelligence. AI can analyze huge amounts of data that exceeds a human’s ability to do that task. There is a lot of debate on whether AI is good or bad. A.I. can be good because it improves business efficiency and helps to accomplish repetitive tasks. AI is bad because it has dangerous effects on the environment, could lead to a lack of creativity in human thinking and a loss of jobs.
AI should not be used because it harms the environment. AI like ChatGPT uses a lot of energy, discards electronic waste, and needs rare materials to build and maintain it. With one request, ChatGPT uses more than eight times the energy required for a Google search. It is estimated that AI software searches will make up around 35% of the energy use in the U.S. by 2026. Also, making one computer takes over 800 kg of raw materials. Many of these are rare elements and often are mined in environmentally destructive ways. AI data centers also discard large amounts of electronic waste that contains mercury and lead.
There is a fear that AI will cause a lack of creativity among people. With the ability to come up with thousands of ideas, humans will lose that spark of creativity if they constantly use A.I. software to come up with answers, ideas, and messages that are not their own. Because humans would be thinking less because of an increased dependency on artificial intelligence, it would lead to decreased innovation. Innovation is what helps the human population to advance past its own problems. Creators and innovators work hard to produce things, but if AI can do it with just a suggestion, then why would people want to spend all that time making something that will just be duplicated by AI.
Another fear that artificial intelligence poses is a decline in jobs that deal with things like math or repetitive tasks. While these software programs can help assist companies and people, there are some skills AI cannot understand, like trade skills, teamwork and social skills. AI does not have the empathy or emotional capacity a human does. However, this would not stop artificial intelligence from taking over all of the mundane tasks or beginning entry positions that can be boring. Because there would be a lack of accessible jobs, competition rates would increase, and the ability to find jobs would decrease. Yes, it could promote people to work harder and gain an education, but some are not able to do that, and that would leave no place for them to work and gain entry-level skills required to move up the work ladder.
AI has some good parts. It could be used as a tool. AI can handle all of the repetitive tasks that are very time-consuming, and it can help analyze data needed to stop climate change and global warming. However, as it has been previously mentioned, A.I. contributes to climate change as the amount of energy needed to power the data centers is a huge amount. With AI, all of the repetitive tasks it is asked to do may not be fun, but sometimes, they are necessary to gain skill sets and move up the work ladder.
A solution is not to use it and take the time to think critically and deeply. Something else that is important is to know what is AI and what isn’t and make sure to know exactly what humans are up against with the rapidly evolving software program.
Humans should not be dependent on AI for everything in their life. If that happens, humans will lack creativity and innovation, AI data centers will continue to ruin the environment, leading to a significant decrease in job availability.
