AI

Are people too fixated on the potential takeover by AI controlled robots? I have no idea, but of more concern is their energy consumption – 2.3% of USA energy is used by AI. Here in the UK a new data centre is being proposed for Lincolnshire, cost £10 billion, consuming 3.7bn kWh of power producing 857.000 tonnes of CO2. That is a very present and current danger! Green energy is impractical in Lincolnshire, although they estimate that 10 tonnes of tomatoes could be produced with the heat each day. As ever there is no easy answer. I remember reading at least 10 years ago the potential for using the tides between Orkney and Shetland islands to produce energy and it is also cooler! Common sense is long gone from economic debate – but hey-ho!