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Sasha Luccioni: Connecting the Dots Between AI's Environmental and Social Impacts

The Gradient: Perspectives on AI

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The Jevons Paradox and AI

The Jevons paradox, observed in history with the replacement of technologies like horses with cars or steamships with electricity, is applicable to AI. With advancements in AI making tasks more efficient, individuals tend to use AI more extensively. This phenomenon is seen in people traveling more miles with cars compared to horses. Similarly, in AI, despite improved hardware and capabilities, the increased usage stems from the ability to perform tasks more efficiently. Cloud companies, motivated by capitalistic goals, encourage utilization of their resources. Despite potential limits to technological advancements like Moore's law and chip density, the current trend shows an increasing reliance on AI due to its efficiency and wider accessibility.

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