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In the fast-paced world of technology, one topic has captivated my attention: facial recognition technology. A technology that in many ways can be seen as positive and potentially even profound. For instance: finding a young missing child by recognizing her as she is being walked down the street, aiding the police in identifying a potential terrorist where you’re attending a sporting event or an app that tells a person who is blind the name of the individual who has just walked into a room to join a meeting.

Facial recognition technology has seamlessly integrated itself into my daily routines. From unlocking my smartphone to passing through airport security, my face is scanned and processed for various purposes. The proliferation of surveillance cameras and smart devices has elevated the use of facial recognition to unprecedented levels (McMahon, 2023). Yet, with this convenience comes a slew of concerns. Imagine a government tracking everywhere you walked over the past month without your permission or knowledge. Or imagine the stores of a shopping mall using facial recognition to share information with each other about each shelf that you browse and product you buy, without asking you first. 

The increasing use of facial recognition technology raises valid worries about personal privacy. As our facial data is collected, questions about data security and potential misuse begin to surface. How do I know if my information remains protected from unauthorized access? Is our facial data is stored in databases? Can it become a prime target for malicious hackers? So many question that we as consumer do not know the answers of, underscoring the urgent need for robust security measures and ethical AI practices.

Thus, perhaps as much as any technological advance, facial recognition raises a critical question we must answer first: what role do we want this type of technology to play in everyday society?

References

McMahon, I. R.-J. & L. (2023, October 5). Ai facial recognition: Campaigners and mps call for ban. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67022005

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly revolutionizing our world, transforming the way we live and work. However, this remarkable progress comes at a significant cost that often goes unnoticed – its impact on the environment. A new study by Alex De Vries, PhD candidate at the VU Amsterdam School of Business and Economics, warns that AI industry could consume as much energy as a country the size of the Netherlands by 2027. This begs the question: do the benefits of AI outweigh the energy it consumes?

At first glance, AI appears to be the environmental savior. Companies like American Airlines are promoting AI projects as solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of air travel, such as reducing contrails. Additionally, the US government is significantly investing in AI-powered nuclear fusion, aiming to harness clean energy for the future (Crawford, 2023).

However, behind the scenes, a different reality unfolds. Did you know that Microsoft’s AI development between 2021-2022 caused a a remarkable 34% increase in water consumption? (Microsoft, 2023). To put this into perspective, this is equivalent to filling 2,500 Olympic swimming pools! Our online activities also contribute significantly to the environmental strain. Surprisingly, each ChatGPT conversation requires a full liter of fresh water, essential to cool down the extensive energy systems powering AI (Vallence, 2023). This heightened demand is directly linked to the computers propelling AI which require massive warehouses filled with specialized machines – known as data centers. These data centers consume water and energy at an alarming rate. Certainly, there is an undeniable surge in demand for the computers powering AI, leading to a significant increase in the energy required to cool these servers.

Thus, the true cost of AI unveils that every useful tool can also be turned into a weapon. We must ensure that AI does not compromise the well-being of our planet. Embracing sustainable practices, investing in green technologies, and promoting responsible policies are pivotal steps in this journey

References:

Crawford, K. (2023, August 29). Tech life – charting the true cost of Ai – BBC sounds. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4tq9

Microsoft. (2022). Environmental Sustainability Report. Retrieved from: https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RW15mgm

Vallance, Z. K. and C. (2023, October 10). Warning AI industry could use as much energy as the Netherlands. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67053139