Let's see the recent Guardian article: The UK government vastly underestimated the climate impact of artificial intelligence, it has emerged, after officials raised their estimate of carbon emissions from AI by a factor of more than 100.

According to new data quietly published this week, energy use by AI datacentres in the UK could cause the emission of up to 123m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) – about as much as generated by 2.7 million people – over the next 10 years.

That latest figure replaces a previous estimate – since deleted – that claimed emissions would reach a maximum of 0.142m tonnes of CO₂ in a single year.

What angers me on the other hand is calling something "performative" while completely ignoring the facts. Have you checked the projected impact of new data centers on CO2 emmissions?

Yes, I'm extremely climate conscious and change my behavior around many things that I think have particularly high climate externalities. But ultimately, most of the people I know who are really concerned about this engage in extremely high externality behavior (flights, beef eating, etc.) regularly without even thinking about it. AI doesn't even come close and beyond that potentially enables a lot of solutions.

Don't be so sure, AI companies are working around the clock to make sure they're up there with the others.

Beef consumption wasn't a problem in the 70s either.

Yeah nah it's yet another security risk. There was an article recently about Claude Code desktop installing some browser files, it wasn't a hole per-se but doesn't make the whole thing trustworthy.

The corporate overlords are becoming too benevolent these days! Why not monitor employees' thoughts in real time?

I would like to meet the person behind the "postinstall scripts" idea and try to understand how they thought it was a good idea.

Y'know just to talk a little bit

You have very optimistic assumptions about AI. Of course AI will not "replace you" on its own, but some person in the company will decide it.

That’s first time I hear I’m optimistic about AI. I am as optimistic as I am about a hammer or a liquid scale. They are tools and they are good for particular jobs, if ypu know how to use them.

I am in careers that is one of the more sheltered from automation. Present tech layoffs I suspect are more due to insane overhiring during covid as well as outsourcing. I am sure some companies have gone to full AI psychosis -mode, but they are taking a massive risk. Time will tell.

Does it mean we can play Doom on WinRar?

Two of my paperwhites died so i took the opportunity to switch to kobo and couldn't be happier.

I don't understand this logic. You can live with 8 GB but there is nothing to "appreciate". It's enough for some stuff but totally short for other stuff.

Yes it does. Typical example - layoffs to make to stock perform better.