Artificial Intelligence and the Environment

When it comes to artificial intelligence, a lot of attention has been focused on issues of privacy and economics – what happens if AI makes human workers obsolete. Now, a new report from the non-profit Environmental Law Institute highlights the potential environmental impacts of AI-driven technologies, from autonomous cars to smart thermostats. Lead author Dave Rejeski says that whether those impacts are positive or negative will depend on how the technology is built and used, and the time to start thinking about that is now. The PyeongChang Olympics are likely to be remembered for the joint Korean team, wind delays, and robots. South Korea is taking advantage of the international spotlight to show off its leadership in robotics, with eleven different types of robots – eighty five, in all – in action at the Olympics.