Researchers sound the alarm on controversial AI plan rejected by lawmakers: 'We can't ignore the growing toll it's taking on climate stability and public health'

Congress passed President Trump's massive spending package, but not before lawmakers rejected a ban on state regulations of artificial intelligence — a provision that experts said would have created dire consequences for the planet.   

What's happening?

The "Big Beautiful Bill" initially included a provision that faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. According to Business Insider, senators voted to remove a section of the legislation that would have blocked state-level AI regulation for a decade. 

Per the Guardian, Harvard University researchers said AI will produce about 1 billion tons of planet-heating carbon dioxide over the next 10 years if electricity consumption in the industry continues with no restrictions. 

Even more, blocking state AI regulations would likely slow the transition from dirty energy to more energy-efficient solutions, according to Gianluca Guidi, a visiting scholar at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.  

"We talk a lot about what AI can do for us, but not nearly enough about what it's doing to the planet," Guidi said. "If we're serious about using AI to improve human wellbeing, we can't ignore the growing toll it's taking on climate stability and public health."

Why are AI restrictions important?

The energy needed to train generative AI models will ultimately contribute to the warming of the planet. The Guardian reported that carbon pollution from AI-driven data centers in the U.S. has tripled in the last seven years. It's not necessarily a surprise — one ChatGPT search requires 10 times more energy than a search on Google. 

According to MIT News, data centers also consume massive amounts of water in order to cool the hardware. In fact, statistics showed that Microsoft's five data centers in Des Moines, Iowa, consume as much as 11.5 million gallons of water per month. Experts said the excess water consumption will limit resources and impact biodiversity.    

The environmental impacts of data centers may lead to major health complications for humans. A study showed that pollution from the data centers could cause up to 1,300 premature deaths per year in the U.S.

What's being done about AI's environmental impact?

According to the UN Environment Programme, nearly 200 countries have adopted recommendations on the ethical use of AI. Among the recommendations, the UNEP called for transparency from tech companies to disclose the environmental impact of AI services.

There are also some initiatives in place to advance AI's environmental sustainability, according to the Harvard Business Review. From developing solar farms to setting "water positive" goals, data center operators are using various strategies to reduce energy use and water consumption. 

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