As wildfires burned across Los Angeles, Nvidia "embodied AI" researcher Jim Fan took to X to suggest that humanoid robots should be deployed for firefighting. The post, which featured a video of a humanoid robot walking down a street in China, complimented the bot's "swag" before adding that such machines need "to go fire-fighting asap!"
The suggestion drew criticism given the timing and the technology's own environmental footprint. As the gaming site Aftermath noted, this year's Consumer Electronics Show took place in Las Vegas — a five-hour drive from the wildfire-stricken city — where Nvidia showcased generative AI products including "Neural Faces" technology that changes video game characters' faces. Such applications consume significant electricity and water, resources intrinsically linked to the devastation in Los Angeles.
[IMG_1]New Research Documents AI's Environmental Impact
While AI alone cannot be blamed for the blazes, new findings from the University of California, Riverside and Caltech show how harmful the technology has already become. According to a not-yet-peer-reviewed paper from the Golden State scientists, AI is consuming large amounts of water to cool data centers while escalating carbon emissions and water consumption. The paper focuses primarily on AI's impact on public health but notes that the technology is already proving harmful and will worsen as it grows.
The scale of planned expansion is significant. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is seeking trillions of dollars in infrastructure to power the industry he envisions.
Critics argue that for every well-intentioned scientist like Fan, there are others pursuing profitable "innovations" that carry substantial environmental costs. The situation draws comparisons to oil companies selling "carbon credits" that purport — dubiously, critics say — to offset greenhouse gas emissions.
While AI companies are not currently among the world's worst polluters, that could change if the industry continues growing at its current pace.
Editorial Notes