Ross: How AI’s heavy-energy usage kills any climate progress

The marquee feature in Sunday’s Seattle Times documented the enormous power requirements of the data centers in this state being used by Artificial Intelligence services. The story implied that, at some point, we could be asked to turn off our air conditioners so that AI doesn’t go brain-dead.

So went to chatGPT and asked the chatbot what it could do to reduce the amount of power it was using. It instantly gave me a list.

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1. Optimize the algorithms
2. More efficient cooling systems.
3. Enable a sleep mode.

I was impressed.

“Why have companies failed to do this already?” I asked chatGPT, impressed with its initial response. I got another list.

1. Energy-efficient technologies involve significant upfront costs.
2. Companies may need government pressure to make changes.
3. Companies may put speed above AI energy efficiency

So there it is! The computer brain already knows what to do to keep itself running.

“Should AI companies themselves be required to pay for the construction of the necessary power supply facilities,” I finally asked it, and – I kid you not – instead of an answer, I was hit with a paywall asking me to pay $39.99 for a year of chatGPT. Well, I did have to finish my Monday commentary, so I paid for it, only to find out I’d been diverted to a third-party website that had partnered with chatGPT.

Now I’m ticked off.

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However, if your air conditioner conks out some hot afternoon because some data center sucked all the energy out of the wires, I want it known I paid my share for my AI use.

Although I have no idea who actually got the money. Thanks again, internet.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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