As the Biden Administration continues to take steps to enhance the United States’ commitment to fighting climate change, a number of climate advocacy groups have expressed concern that the president’s recent executive order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) does not take the technology’s potential impact on the climate into account.
The executive order, which focuses on the development of rules and guidelines that will govern the use of AI within the United States, contains no mention of the technology’s effects on the environment or climate change. This is in stark contrast to other recent executive orders issued by the Biden Administration which have placed a great emphasis on fighting climate change.
As AI technology has become increasingly more powerful, there has been growing concern about its potential implications for the environment. For instance, the use of AI to model and predict future climate conditions can be an invaluable tool for climate scientists, however it can also provide a platform for companies or governments to act in favor of their own interests, ignoring the effects their actions may have on the environment.
Furthermore, research suggests that AI-enhanced applications such as autonomous vehicles, automated manufacturing, and robotics are poised to lead to a significant rise in global energy use, further exacerbating the effects of climate change.
Despite the potential dangers posed by AI technology, the executive order in question does not address any of these issues. While the Biden Administration has made it a point to create policies that promote both economic growth and sustainability, experts on climate change argue that it is also crucial to consider the role of AI in both regards.
Overall, the underlying message from climate advocacy groups regarding the recent executive order is that the United States government cannot afford to ignore the potential consequences of AI technology on the global climate. Without proper regulations in place that take into account the effects of AI on the climate, the United States might find itself struggling to combat the effects of climate change in the future.