Before listening to “How AI uses our drinking water” BBC, I was unaware of the vast amounts of water that is needed to generate the electricity that is needed to operate such facilities. I am concerned about the effect this will have on the residential communities that data centers are being constructed. Will this impact the water supply, will we consume the same water that is released from the data centers, and was research conducted to examine if there will be any health concerns in the future? These are questions that immediately concerned me as a resident that lives less than 2 miles from a data center currently under construction.
The Social Contract is breaking, and AI is holding the hammer
The emergent capabilities of AI are concerning for me. What will its impact on society look like with full scale usage? Who will be held responsible for the negative outcomes this technology can possibly have? It appears AI technology was invented to eliminate the human factor and have the world controlled by robots.
White Collar unemployment
I assumed that there would be job security for coders and individuals with technology related skill sets as companies begin to launch AI systems.
Companies are blaming AI for layoffs
I wouldn’t have thought that post Covid-19 employment was a factor for layoffs as AI technology is rolled out in various sectors.
For me, the main point in the video and the articles was the effect AI technology will have on the human sector, whether its water consumption or the impact of unemployment at entry level. In the video, it was also shocking to hear that OpenAI refused to give an accurate figure of water usage that it takes to generate AI activity. If there were policies in place, this information would have been accessible to the public. Missing within all the articles were the possible interventions that the government can implement to have control measures and laws pertaining to AI’s use and abuse.
AI Experiment – ChatGPT
AI assisted analysis of VandeHei and Allen “Behind the Curtain: A White-collar bloodbath” (Axios) and Jim Mattlar’s “Companies are blaming AI for layoffs. The Real Reason Will Piss You Off”
Both articles agreed that:
- AI is a major factor for layoffs
- There will be a risk for economic disruption and inequality
- AI is/will be used as justification for layoffs
- There is a need for policy
Disagreement or emphasized differences:
- VandeHei and Allen – the amount of entry-level job cuts
- Mattlar – rationales companies give as reasons for layoffs
Prescriptive solutions:
- VandeHei and Allen – policy, urgent public awareness
- Mattlar – learn AI tools, employees document their value and have a contingency plan.
ChatGPT suggested that Mattlar’s article was more persuasive because he provided data that conflicted with the corporate narrative that AI is the reason for layoffs and referenced a MIT study that showed that 90% of companies investing in AI are not seeing measurable returns in investment. In contrast, ChatGPT suggested that VandeHei and Allen presented an alarmist view even with the interview of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodie, which can be viewed as bias as opposed to interviewing a panel of AI companies CEOs. Together, both articles highlight that AI has the potential to have very real risks and society should not ignore the headlines.
a. What did you learn about using AI that you might not have known?
It is very user friendly and has the potential to become addictive.
b. What did you think about the responses you received? Good, weird, helpful, annoying, incorrect, or whatever.
The response was helpful. It gave me a better understanding of the readings.
c. What was your emotional reaction to using this tool?
I was hesitant. It was my first time using AI in this capacity and I found it very easy to navigate.
d. Where do you think we are headed and how do we manage it?
I think AI is the future of technology, however, we need policies to manage its use or abuse to not have a negative influence on societies.
Hello hoytea, you raise an important concerns that often get overlooked, especially the impact AI development may have on local communities and public health, your proximity to a new data center makes those questions even more urgent. Your reflections on the readings show a clear awareness of how AI’s influence stretches far beyond technology, touching employment, policy, and everyday life. I also like how you highlighted the gap in government oversight and the need for stronger policies, which all four sources hinted at but didn’t fully address. Your experience using AI for the first time was honest and relatable, and your cautious optimism reflects exactly the kind of mindset society needs as we move forward with these tools.