As the use of artificial intelligence grows, so do the concerns about responsibility surrounding it: data use, environmental impact, copyright issues and algorithmic bias are increasingly on people’s minds. In a geopolitically tense era, the location of the critical services businesses rely on matters as well. 

Generative AI has evolved from a mind‑blowing miracle worker into an everyday default, although its major benefits have yet to fully materialize. That hasn’t stopped people from trying: according to our Insight Track report, nearly all marketing and communications teams were actively seeking value through AI last year. 

AI has the potential to shine especially in operational work – if used deliberately and skilfully. But in the rush of everyday life, precise prompting, purposeful data use and AI‑critical thinking easily get brushed aside in the pursuit of quick wins. 

And when you put the cart before the horse, you’re bound to end up with bruises – along with heaps of useless AI‑generated fluff and needless environmental burden. 

A practical environmental act: Don’t use AI stupidly 

As social media fills with quirky AI images and bland throwaway content, the data centers powering this spectacle quietly consume electricity at an accelerating pace. A recent study estimates that the amount of water used to cool data centers is comparable to the global annual consumption of bottled water – and the carbon footprint equals the entire New York City. 

So, it’s worth asking whether we really want to increase environmental impact through unnecessary AI usage. In many cases, AI adds no value at all. In fact, a human might solve the task faster. If a problem can be handled efficiently without AI, that’s exactly what we should do. 

A digital society doesn’t come without a price tag 

If AI can save significant human time by automating repetitive tasks, the cost–benefit ratio becomes more defensible. Even then, thoughtful prompting and a realistic understanding of what AI can and should be used for are essential. Spending hours iterating on a task poorly suited for AI wastes both time and resources – and frankly, it makes no sense. 

We live in a digitalized world where technology and digital services have become inseparable from our everyday lives. Many crucial advances in science, research, and healthcare would not have been possible without AI. And at the same time, we collectively consume billions of hours of high‑carbon‑footprint streaming services every year. 

In our digital society, every action comes with an environmental impact. The data centers powering AI continue to drive up electricity consumption, of which an increasing share should come from renewable sources. We can’t rewind technological development, but we can consider how to use AI more wisely. 

The impact of AI isn’t limited to the environment. It can also reinforce harmful stereotypes and produce discriminatory outcomes. Companies must stay vigilant when using AI tools to support processes like loan decisions or recruitment. 

At the same time, each of us must strengthen our AI literacy and critical thinking. It’s tempting to assume that ChatGPT is a neutral actor. But generative AI chatbots are designed to serve us as smoothly as possible, without challenging our own reasoning – neutrality is far from the truth. 

New inventions have always been used for harm, too

We’d love to imagine that new technologies are used only for good. But new tools come with ethical questions that few considered just a few years ago. Bullying has increasingly shifted online as technology has advanced, and AI has only sped up this development.

AI is also increasingly used to generate harmful content targeting people already in vulnerable positions. At the end of January, the European Commission launched a formal investigation into the Grok AI bot, suspected of violating EU digital service regulations by generating sexual deepfake images of women and children. 

Regulation can’t keep up with the pace of technological development, and by the time rules catch up, damage is often already done. That’s why companies at the forefront of AI development carry the responsibility of ensuring their solutions are safe and responsible. As consumers and businesses, we are responsible for choosing services that stand up to ethical scrutiny – and for making sure that our own behavior does, too. 

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