Ricky

I think we've been living in an AI world for at least 20 years. The first internet search engines must have been a beginning use of AI.

In 2002, I was writing the second edition of my TDG book. I was looking for good books to reinforce these ideas. With Google, I could easily find the books, then request them from the library. The old fashioned way of finding the right books would have used a lot more energy in my quest. Yes, today's AI may have an energy cost, but there may be energy savings by using that AI.

--------------

As a digression, a young man in my town joined the ranks of pro football, and I felt obliged to watch him on TV.

As I looked at the sidelines, I saw at least 50 players in uniform. There are probably another 20 or so coaches or trainers working behind the scenes.

That is 70 plane tickets! And all that equipment has to be moved from city to city.

Hotels and busses.

Then there are the TV crews. Probably another 30 people. Managers and referees.

Then the 20,000 fans in the stands. How did they get there? Not by walking!

Every pro sports game has a big environmental footprint.

It seems to me we are putting a lot of emphasis on the energy consumption of AI, but not talking much about other uses of energy. Football games do not make a better world. But AI can.