As the QuitGPT movement gains momentum, should people concerned about the environmental impacts of AI consider opting out?

I found this older article but I thought it’s a relevant follow-up to the one I posted earlier today. Quitting AI?

There are many small ways to limit use… People can unsubscribe from AI platforms, exclude AI results from search (for example, by adding “-AI” to the end of a search query) or avoid using it for unnecessary or energy-intensive tasks such as text-to-video prompts, or AI-generated images for celebrations or work presentations.

“Meta, Google and Microsoft have all baked [generative AI] deep into their systems,” Joshi says. “I see this all as very much part of the tactic of trying to embed these systems into society and instil dependency in a fashion similar to the growth of single-use plastics in the 1970s.”

Opting out can be a “meaningful act of resistance”, Joshi says. “It’s partly about not creating that energy demand but mostly about being part of broad collective action against [a] corrosive, harmful industry.”

I don’t use chatbots, I don’t use the Cloud, I don’t have a smartphone, I’ve stopped using AI for searches. Sometime I get sucked in by AI images. Any other actions I can take? You in this community know a lot more about this tech than I do. Any advice would be welcome.

  • ikt@aussie.zone
    12·
    2 months ago

    Because it’s about effectiveness, you’re like the people who are on the side of the freeway waving a just stop oil sign, pissing into the wind effectively

    in terms of co2 output we are tiny:

    China isn’t slowing down on AI to save the planet, neither is America

    And to be completely honest I would rather they built data centres here and took work away from America/China and had our co2 emissions go up because at least the labor party is committed to net zero, it’s pushing for renewables, the battery rebate is world leading, it’s underwriting renewable projects and we are seeing our co2 emissions from electricity drop

    I have more faith we’ll hit net zero than America or China

    So to me, I want both, more renewables and more data centres

    • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.caEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      The problem with that graph is you cannot outsource all your industry to China then claim China is responsible.

    • blind3rdeye@aussie.zone
      2·
      2 months ago

      Like I said, you can fantasize all you like about a future of unlimited renewable energy and clean water - but we don’t have that now.

      If you think it is close and easy, then we should just wait and get it. And if it is not close or not easy - then we can’t really afford to be roasting the planet any more than we already are.

      You’re literally asking for more data centres than we currently have. i.e. more resource-draining facilities, to enable potential growth in usage of AI. If that growth is not there, then the data centres are not needed. I’d hardly call it ‘pissing in the wind’ to choose not to be a part of that growth. In fact, I find it really weird that you’re even arguing this point. Like, why would you ever want to convince other people to use more AI? It doesn’t help you if they use it. Not using it may save some resources… so what’s your aim here?

      • ikt@aussie.zone
        11·
        2 months ago

        you can fantasize all you like about a future of unlimited renewable energy and clean water - but we don’t have that now

        and you can fantasise about everyone suddenly no longer training AI models or using AI, it ain’t gonna happen

        If you think it is close and easy, then we should just wait and get it

        It’s not close or easy but it’s closer and easier than pushing some magical stop button that suddenly pauses AI usage worldwide

        Google announced at I/O 2026 that its AI systems are now processing 3.2 quadrillion tokens per month, a 7x year-over-year increase, indicating massive scale and rapid adoption of AI workflows across its platforms (Search, Workspace, Gemini, etc.)

        Hold on a sec, let me just get Google on the phone and tell them to hold up 😅

        You’re literally asking for more data centres than we currently have. i.e. more resource-draining facilities, to enable potential growth in usage of AI

        I’d like it just to satisfy current usage of AI

        In fact, I find it really weird that you’re even arguing this point. Like, why would you ever want to convince other people to use more AI? It doesn’t help you if they use it. Not using it may save some resources… so what’s your aim here?

        I didn’t mention convincing others to use more AI because that’s not required, it’s insanely popular

        However as mentioned before at the moment we’re not even covering our own current usage of AI, neither Claude nor Mistral the two AI providers I use have data centres in Australia which means I’m adding to some other countries carbon output

        I would prefer this investment in Australia, not only does it mean our carbon output is correctly pointed at us but we can continue to invest in renewables to bring that carbon output down

        …and speak of the devil, I was searching for another article about data centres needing to bring their own renewable power and look at this on the front page:

        AI giant chooses Australia’s first 100 pct (net) renewable grid to build country’s biggest data centre

        https://reneweconomy.com.au/ai-giant-choose-australias-first-100-pct-net-renewable-grid-to-build-countrys-biggest-data-centre/

        Well done SA :)