U.S. government agency sounds alarm on AIs toll on environment, humanity

Generative AI's impact on the environment is still deeply understudied, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and its human effects are just as unclear. In the latest of several AI technology assessments conducted by the GAO -- a nonpartisan agency that provides audits and evaluations to Congress, executive agency leaders, and the general public upon request -- the legislative office outlined multiple human and environmental risks posed by the tech's unhampered development and widespread use. "Generative AI may displace workers, help spread false information, and create or elevate risks to national security," the report reads. Threats to data privacy and cybersecurity, the use of biased systems, and a lack of accountability could have unintended effects on society, culture, and people, writes the GAO. And just as pressing is the need to determine how much of an energy drain AI's training (and ongoing use) presents and how we can mitigate it.