Artificial Intelligence vs Real Ecology

Nov 17

Recorded November 8 2023

Description

In this Frankly, a follow up to “One Ring to Rule Them All”, Nate unpacks the common misconception that AI is the answer to all our energy and ecological problems, specifically climate change.. As the development of AI continues to accelerate, many propose that we are entering the ‘Exponential Age’, yet what’s ignored is that we’ve just lived through an age of exponential impact on Earth’s systems. Under this same ‘operating system’, AI can at best act as a more powerful tool for the continuation of this phenomenon - not to restore ecological stability as some would hope. If AI is based on current cultural goals and aspirations, who will ultimately benefit and who will pay the costs? What types of solutions is AI capable of developing - and more importantly, where is the interplay of AI and human responsibility required to then implement those ideas to fruition?

Show Notes

00:40 - Deer population since 1900

03:21 - Speculation on how AI could help climate

05:11 - Marc Andreessen Quote

Additional Resource: Limits to Economic Growth

06:24 - Galactic-Scale Energy | Do the Math

10:40 - Alfred Russel Wallace

11:47 - Jeremy Grantham

15::25 - 1 in 7 couples have fertility problems

12:25 - 108 degree weather in spring in Brazil

13:11 - Energy efficiency increase by 30% since 1990, but grown overall by 60%

13:46 - Paris Climate Agreement, state of it today