Page 4 - Bridging the Gap | Issue 39 - Spring 25

Bridging the Gap ISSUE 39 | SPRING 2025

WHATS HAPPENING IN I.T.

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly
become part of everyday life over the past decade.
It is used for everything from personalizing social
media feeds to powering medical breakthroughs.
But as big tech firms and governments vie to be at
the forefront of AI's development, critics have
expressed caution over its potential misuse,
ethical complexities and environmental impact.
AI allows computers to learn and solve problems in ways that can seem human. Computers
cannot think, empathize or reason. However, scientists have developed systems that can perform
tasks which usually require human intelligence, trying to replicate how people acquire and use
knowledge. AI programs can process large amounts of data, identify patterns and follow detailed
instructions about what to do with that information. This could be trying to anticipate what product
an online shopper might buy, based on previous purchases, in order to recommend items.
The technology is also behind voice-controlled virtual assistants like Apple's Siri and
Amazon's Alexa, and is being used to develop systems for self-driving cars. AI also helps social
platforms like Facebook, TikTok and X decide what posts to show users. Streaming services Spotify
and Deezer use AI to suggest music. Scientists are also using AI as a way to help spot
cancers, speed up diagnoses and identify new medicines. Computer vision, a form of AI that
enables computers to detect objects or people in images, is being used by radiographers to help
them review X-ray results.
What are generative AI programs like ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Midjourney?
Generative AI is used to create new content which can feel like it has been made by a
human. It does this by learning from vast quantities of existing data such as online text and images.
ChatGPT and Chinese rival DeepSeek's chatbot are two widely-used generative AI tools. Midjourney
can create images from simple text prompts. So-called chatbots such as Google's Gemini or Meta
AI can hold text conversations with users. Elon Musk's generative AI chatbot Grok can generate
images for users who pay for X (formerly Twitter). Generative AI can also be used to make high-
quality videos and music. Songs mimicking the style or sound of famous musicians have gone viral,
sometimes leaving fans confused about their authenticity.
How does AI impact the environment?
It is not clear how much energy AI systems use, but some researchers estimate the industry
as a whole could soon consume as much as the Netherlands. Creating the powerful computer chips
needed to run AI programs also takes lots of power and water. Demand for generative AI services
has meant an increase in the number of data centers. These huge halls - housing thousands of
racks of computer servers - use substantial amounts of energy and require large volumes of water to
keep them cool. Some large tech companies have invested in ways to reduce or reuse the water
needed, or have opted for alternative methods such as air-cooling. However, some experts and
activists fear that AI will worsen water supply problems. In September 2024, Google said it would

reconsider proposals for a data center in Chile, which has struggled with drought.
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