AI won't kill us all — but that doesn't make it trustworthy. Instead of getting distracted by future existential risks, AI ethics researcher Sasha Luccioni thinks we need to focus on the technology's current negative impacts, like emitting carbon, infringing copyrights and spreading biased information. She offers practical solutions to regulate our AI-filled future — so it's inclusive and transparent.

The biggest threats from artificial intelligence are already here, hidden in ordinary details like energy bills, art theft, and biased algorithms. Training just one large language model can use as much energy as 30 homes in a year and create 25 tons of carbon emissions—just to perform simple tasks. AI often exploits artists’ and authors’ work without consent and can reinforce damaging stereotypes, sometimes leading to real-world harm and wrongful arrests. Focusing on present impacts, and building transparent tools to measure and regulate them, is key to making AI safe and trustworthy.

AI’s Real Dangers Lie in Bias, Carbon, and Consent Violations

AI is dangerous, but not for the reasons you think

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environment