Experts issue warning about troubling side effect of AI boom: 'The first thing people need is information'

With the whirlwind emergence of AI-based technology all around the world comes the development of more and more data centers.

These massive facilities are used to store large amounts of data and power the extreme workloads brought on by artificial intelligence tools. Unfortunately, sustaining them requires a high level of energy consumption that puts a strain on our planet, and what's worse, many governments refuse to be transparent with their citizens regarding just how immense this environmental burden is.

What's happening?

According to The Guardian, resistance to the data center boom has been rising all across the U.S., the U.K., and much of Latin America, grounded in both the extensive resource demand and the lack of transparency concerning environmental practices. 

Many Latin American communities, in particular, are put off by government-supported corporate secrecy when it comes to the electricity, water, and other resources that data centers actually require.

In Chile, for instance, the government is working to remove environmental regulations on data centers, implicitly allowing them to deplete resources without constraint, per The Guardian. 

Researcher and activist Paz Peña explained to the outlet that Chilean data centers use up vast amounts of the fossil fuel diesel, but recent administrative shifts have significantly pushed back the permissible diesel threshold in the country.

"What we're seeing is that governments are creating opportunities for investments but not creating rules and regulations for the environmental impacts of datacenters, rules about diesel use, energy and water," Peña said.

Why are data center regulations important?

Environmental transparency is environmental responsibility. When businesses are open about their carbon footprint, energy consumption, and other resource expenditures, they hold themselves accountable to their client base for the impact they make on our planet. Likewise, when governments sanction corporate secrecy, these same companies feel less pressure to make environmentally responsible decisions. 

The huge electricity consumption for which AI data centers are known draws from the burning of fossil fuels like diesel, which release planet-heating carbon pollution into our atmosphere. 

The effects of our warmer global temperatures include supercharged natural disasters, unstable weather patterns, food and water insecurities, and more. Unregulated energy usage — made worse by the explosion of artificial intelligence and the construction of more and more data centers — only accelerates the impact of climate change.

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What's being done about AI energy consumption?

When governments let environmental negligence slide from data centers and other energy-intensive corporations, it's up to the average individual to push for transparency at a higher level. According to The Guardian, this can come through the courts and public pressure — but becomes more complicated when exact information is withheld.

"The first thing people need is information, and the first hurdle that they confront is the lack of information," Peña continued. "So I would say that the first step they need to take is to find any source of information, and sometimes go to court."

It's essential not to underestimate the environmental impact of today's data centers. If you're interested in making a difference in the way things are handled, make sure you stay informed and inform those around you. You can even try getting involved with local activist initiatives or helping put pro-climate candidates in office.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.