"Can You Choose an A.I. Model That Harms the Planet Less?" Article Reflection No. 142 (6/22/2025)

Article: “Can You Choose an A.I. Model That Harms the Planet Less?”

Reflection: 

In the article “Can You Choose an A.I. Model That Harms the Planet Less?,” journalist Sachi Kitajima Mulkey discusses the consequences that AI has on the environment along with the factors that can either exacerbate or mitigate its impact. The article describes a Frontiers in Communication study that discovered that AI tools consume more energy when their “‘brains’” are larger with higher probabilities of answering questions correctly. Discussing the correlation between energy expenditure (which corresponds with negative environmental impacts) and the length of responses, this article provides the audience more information about how this increasingly-expanding technology not only has impacts in the education and work sectors but also the environmental sector. The article also emphasizes the importance of identifying which tools are best to use for certain tasks, such as using a search engine for research.

Until recently, I wasn’t aware that AI had negative consequences on the environment and the correlation between response length and environmental impact is surprising. I think from an individual’s POV the most important takeaway from this article is what the article really focused on at the end about tool usage because that’s something that I can try to apply in my own life. Are abbreviations helping the environment?