Tech Conflict Continues: Episode AI - Rebuttal to the Tech Backlash

In the world of technology, the discussion surrounding the creation of a national AI resource for research is gaining momentum. This resource, proposed by the White House, aims to foster innovation and avoid hindering progress, ensuring the public good is not compromised.

However, not all opinions about this initiative are positive. The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) advisory committee has voiced concerns, claiming the new resource could consume too much energy, accelerate climate change, raise privacy and security concerns, increase economic inequality, entrench big tech monopolies, and fuel the proliferation of biased AI systems.

Yet, a clear-eyed discussion is necessary to avoid hindering progress. It's important to consider the facts and the potential benefits of this resource, rather than focusing solely on potential drawbacks.

For instance, the national AI resource could leverage energy-aware algorithms to report energy consumption and prioritize algorithmic efficiency. This would help in reducing the carbon footprint associated with data centers, a significant contributor to the tech sector's energy consumption.

Moreover, the European Commission's recent white paper on AI finds that digital technologies such as AI are a critical enabler for attaining the goals of the Green Deal. The ICT industry is on track to decarbonize its footprint, and digital technologies are key to decarbonizing existing energy sources.

It's also worth noting that the national AI resource will not be exclusively an AI cloud but will federate computational resources, embodying a mix of cloud and on-premise resources. This approach aims to maximize societal welfare by considering diverse perspectives on the mix of resources.

The criticisms from the FTC advisory committee are part of a trend called "techlash." Some of the issues raised around data protection and data security by the committee are real and deserve smart, considered responses. However, warnings of an "alarming-but-quiet capture of academic AI research by big tech" are misleading, as the national resource will not be exclusively an AI cloud.

The task force creating a roadmap for the national AI resource intends to ensure that the resource generates net-positive societal benefits, similar to the U.S. government, which accounts for around 1% of annual U.S. energy consumption.

In the market for high-performance and AI computing, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft only account for around 10 percent, while traditional on-premises providers capture at least 90 percent of IT spending. This indicates that the national resource will not necessarily lead to a monopoly by big tech companies.

The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC), a regional resource for computationally intensive research, has prioritized computationally efficient hardware and algorithms. The MGHPCC has achieved LEED Platinum Certification, the highest level for energy and environmental design.

While the tech sector's energy consumption, particularly data centers, is substantial and rapidly growing, with significant carbon footprint implications, efforts for decarbonization are underway. The criticisms that overstate the potential negative impacts of a national AI resource and look at these issues in isolation without addressing the benefits are not helpful.

In summary, the creation of a national AI resource for research has the potential to generate net-positive societal benefits while addressing concerns about energy consumption and carbon footprint. It's crucial to approach this discussion with a clear-eyed perspective, considering both the potential benefits and challenges.

| Sector | Energy Consumption / Carbon Footprint | Notes | |------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Tech Sector (Data Centers) | US data centers: 4% US electricity (2023); Global 2026: >1,000 TWh | Increasing up to 31%+ growth in 2024; AI-driven demand surging[1][3][5] | | Carbon Footprint | Significant, mainly fossil-fuel powered; rising electricity costs impacting general consumers[1][2][4] | Efforts for decarbonization underway but challenging | | Aviation Industry | ~2-3% of global CO2 emissions annually (approx. 900+ million tons pre-pandemic) | Well-studied and reported; direct fossil fuel combustion |