The “AI for good” paradox is something we are intimately acquainted with.
Environmental impacts of generative AI
We recognise the environmental concerns raised by the explosion in use of generative AI, and we have been researching the water and energy consumed in a world that can already ill-afford such drains. The Jevons paradox points out that when technological efficiencies make something easier or cheaper, it tends to be used more, not less, leading to a net increase in consumption. These environmental impacts sit at the core of the wider debate around sustainable AI and responsible technology.
The human and creative cost
We recognise the social problems too. As writers for many years, we have watched the job market being impacted by technology. Copywriters, journalists, designers and illustrators have all been affected: the creatives who helped build the internet back when it was fun.
A big part of me wants to batten down the hatches and/or start that lumberjacking career. But when I was a technology journalist, it was the world-changing innovations that I found exciting. I still feel like that now.
Finding a balance
Because alongside the challenges, responsibly and thoughtfully used artificial intelligence opens up an extraordinary amount of potential. We have done a serious amount of research, talked to experts, and had a few heated discussions between ourselves. This is an excellent podcast on the subject if you are wrestling with this issue: https://open.spotify.com/show/5inTsYpe1AZeCmLbLDjPx6. We do not claim to have solved the inherent problems, but we have found a balance we can move forward with.
How AI supports Brace For Impact
When it comes to Brace For Impact, AI allows us to do the time-intensive and cost-intensive work fast. Practically speaking, we can go through a lot of information quickly to work out a company’s sustainability. This gathering, analysing and sorting process informs our output, such as a web page showcasing environmental initiatives, to which we, the humans, apply our knowledge and experience. For us, AI makes space for the parts of work that actually need imagination and judgement.
A shift beyond good/fast/cheap
As I mentioned in a previous post, it moves us on from that age-old paradigm we used to wheel out for clients with unrealistic expectations: the options are good/fast/cheap, and you have to pick two. We are now living in a post-G/F/C world.
Reducing our AI footprint where we can
When it comes to the environmental footprint of AI, I believe that the positive impact of helping companies communicate their sustainability (and inspiring others to do the same) goes a long way. Thinking carefully about how we use technology, we do what we can to minimise impact: we prepare prompts so we do not have to repeatedly refine outputs; we ask for several responses at once, for example ten headline suggestions, not one; and we use models that require less power, like GPT-4o mini, for smaller tasks. We also continue to research this complex topic and support protection for creatives like ourselves.
Looking ahead with purpose
The future feels impossible to future-proof for. It is moving fast and in every direction at once (or has it always been that way?). All we can do today is make sure that what we are doing feels purposeful and fulfilling, and that is what Brace For Impact feels like to us.
If you’d like to talk about how we can help your business communicate sustainability in a way that fits your budget, get in touch.