I tried to write a letter recently but my hand didn’t quite cooperate: the result was a maniacal scrawl. I rarely put literal pen to paper any more and it seems my overreliance on a keyboard means I may have lost the ability to write legible cursive. I’m not alone: handwriting is disappearing. It’s possible my kid will never be taught joined-up writing at school. While typing is more efficient, studies suggest typing notes rather than writing may have a negative impact on the brain’s ability to learn.
A keyboard feels like stone age technology now; as AI becomes more embedded in our lives, what impact will that have on our brains? We’re still figuring that out. The people who make money from the tech keep telling us we need it, or we’ll fall behind. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, recently said if you don’t wear AI-powered smart glasses, you will find yourself at a “significant cognitive disadvantage” in the near future. However, a recent study suggests an overreliance on ChatGPT could harm critical thinking abilities. And then, of course, there’s all the other collateral damage of AI – from its massive environmental impact to its exploitation of underpaid creatives’ labour.
Not everyone is keen on participating in this brave new world. Meet the “AI vegans”: people who have chosen to abstain from using AI for environmental, ethical and personal wellness reasons. Yes, “AI veganism” is a real phrase. No, I didn’t make it up. Although I rather wish I did, because it’s quite catchy, isn’t it? Side note: one of the most genius rebrands of all time was the way fake leather (which is often made from polyurethane, a type of plastic) suddenly became aspirational “vegan leather”.
Will AI veganism catch on? Who knows. But, just like regular veganism, I’m sure its practitioners will tell you about it. And while it may be unrealistic to expect the masses to go digitally vegan, it’s not a bad idea for us all to be more cognisant of how much AI we consume and its impact on the planet. Perhaps any request to AI apps should be met with a digital calorie count first? Yes, I can generate a picture of a cat in a spaceship eating a taco, but my AI model might guzzle a bottle of water to do so and 10 times more energy than a Google search … do you really want that picture? Just some food for thought.
Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist
