The growing energy demands of data centers worldwide are increasingly being met by fossil fuels rather than renewable energy sources, according to a Reuters report by Valerie Volcovici. Major tech companies’ artificial intelligence and cloud computing operations require substantial power, which utilities are supplying through new gas plants and extended use of coal facilities because …
A new study from the University of California, Riverside reveals that ChatGPT’s computer systems consume approximately two liters of water for 10-50 queries, four times more than previously estimated. The research, to be published in Communications of the ACM, shows that data centers require substantial water for cooling their AI servers, which generate intense heat …
Coca-Cola has sparked controversy with its new AI-generated Christmas advertisement that recreates imagery from its 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” campaign, NBC reports. The video, created by three AI studios using multiple generative AI models, shows animated scenes of trucks and people celebrating with Coca-Cola products. Artists and creative professionals have strongly criticized the company’s decision …
The debate over artificial intelligence in creative writing has intensified after NaNoWriMo announced it would allow AI usage in its annual writing challenge. Writer Savannah Cordova, in an article for VentureBeat, argues that while AI can serve as a limited auxiliary tool for tasks like brainstorming or spelling, it should not be used for core …
Artificial intelligence is transforming the healthcare industry, with potential applications in diagnostics, treatment, communication, and administration. Some doctors are pioneering the use of AI to improve patient outcomes, such as accelerating scan interpretation, personalizing treatment plans, and facilitating doctor-patient interactions. However, the technology is not yet capable of fully replicating doctors’ expertise and still requires …
Gary Marcus, a prominent AI expert, argues that pure scaling of AI systems without fundamental architectural changes is reaching a point of diminishing returns. He cites recent comments from venture capitalist Marc Andreesen and editor Amir Efrati confirming that improvements in large language models (LLMs) are slowing down, despite increasing computational resources. Marcus warns that …
AI search tools that summarize information from across the web could replace traditional search engines, potentially disrupting the digital economy. According to an article by Benjamin Brooks, a fellow at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard, AI search poses a threat to content creators by diverting web traffic away from the original sources. Brooks argues …
The rise of AI could lead to a 3-12% increase in global electronic waste by 2030, amounting to an extra 2.5 million metric tons annually, according to a study by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Reichman University in Israel published in the journal Nature Computational Science. The analysis, based on industry investment …
More than 10,500 creative professionals, including Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, actress Julianne Moore and ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus, have issued a joint statement warning against the unlicensed use of their work by AI companies. As Dan Milmo reports in The Guardian, the signatories describe the unauthorized use of creative work to train AI models as a …
A 14-year-old teenager from Florida took his own life in February 2024 after months of intensive interaction with an AI chatbot on the Character.AI platform. According to the New York Times, the boy had developed a close emotional bond with the chatbot, which simulated the character Daenerys Targaryen from “Game of Thrones.” The deceased’s mother …