Behind the creative possibilities of AI lies a reality of extraction and exploitation on an industrial scale, with major consequences for the earth and humans. We rarely dwell on the resources needed to fuel this technology and keep it running. The true costs of AI are preferably kept out of the picture by Silicon Valley. It prefers that we talk about our documents “in the cloud” and not “in a power-guzzling block box in an industrial park.
Location: SustainaLab, Matrix ONE, Amsterdam Science Park 301
Date: Thursday 13 July, 12.00-14.00h (including warm buffet lunch at 13.30h)
The VPRO Tegenlicht edition of June 2023 explores the true cost of the rapidly growing AI industry.
During the Meet Up in SustainaLab will focus on three topics:
- AI as a ‘black box’: how can we understand what AI exactly is and how it works.
- The energy consumption of AI.
- How can AI be used for good?
You can see the Tegenlicht documentary here: https://www.vpro.nl/programmas/tegenlicht/kijk/afleveringen/2023-2024/de-prijs-van-ai.html
12.00h – Welcome
Welcome and introduction by Bart Krull (SustainaLab), moderator of the Meet Up.
Arnout Arens – researcher of the VPRO Tegenlicht documentary ‘The price of AI’.
Associate professor in Natural Language Processing, Explainable AI and Cognitive Modelling at the UvA Jelle Zuidema will explain what AI is and how it works.
Pepijn de Reus (student AI at the UvA) co-wrote a paper on the energy cost of privacy enhancing data; he will talk about the overall energy issue of AI, combined with privacy questions.
Bit uses AI to help companies become future-proof. Founder Marco van der Werf will explain how AI can be used for a more sustainable world.
There will be plenty of room for sharing your questions and insights. So join us on Thursday 13 July, 1200-1400h (including warm vegetarian buffet lunch at 1330).
SustainaLab, Matrix ONE, Amsterdam Science Park 301
Register via bart@sustainalab.nl