Millions of Google users alarmed after discovering new AI tool they can't turn off — here's the latest on the controversial update
In recent months, the AI revolution has permeated technology companies. From Apple's AI notification summarization to Microsoft's AI email assistance, tech companies are clearly embracing this new tech as the world races toward more advanced and profitable AI methods.
Google's Gemini tool is one of the tech industry's many new AI variations, but it has been met with controversy as millions of users seek to disable it.
Users have found that those who ignore the Gemini Workspace feature will be nudged with suggestions to "polish" or "help me write" email drafts.
As useful as this can be, many users are less than enthusiastic. Financial Times gadget editor Rhodri Marsden summed up one major issue with the tech on Bluesky: "I judge my interactions with people based on *what they wrote*, rather than what Gemini thinks they want to write."
Users have also reported having issues turning the technology off, as the Australian Computer Society detailed.
Companies are said to be moving full force toward AI to be competitive within the tech industry, but the environmental cost should not be overlooked.
AI-driven data centers require vast amounts of materials, with a single 4-pound computer needing 1,763 pounds of resources, and they rely on elements often mined destructively, according to the U.N. Environmental Program. Electronic waste from data centers contains hazardous substances like mercury and lead, while one study projects their water consumption — used for cooling — could soon exceed that of Denmark.
Additionally, AI technology has immense energy demands, with an AI request consuming 10 times the electricity of a Google search. In Ireland, AI growth could push data centers to use 32% of the country's electricity by 2026, according to the International Energy Agency. With the number of data centers surging from 500,000 in 2012 to 8 million today, AI's environmental impact is set to escalate further.
Efforts to address AI's environmental impact are growing. Over 190 countries have adopted ethical AI guidelines, and the E.U. and U.S. have introduced regulations. The U.N. emphasized the need for stronger environmental safeguards, highlighting an opportunity for governments to integrate sustainability into AI strategies.
A Yale researcher, Yuan Yao, further explained options: "Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, and adopting energy-efficient practices can mitigate these negative impacts."
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