AI Entertainment is Becoming More Common, but Could It Really Have Serious Consequences?

As artificial intelligence's entertainment gains popularity on several social media platforms, one account stands out amongst the rest. With over 2.5 million followers, the TikTok account @aicinema.021 has numerous videos based on the reality tv show Love Island, but with various fruits as the contestants. Each of the videos in the AI-generated Fruit Love Island series has gained millions of views and even gotten the attention of celebrities [1].

Swedish singer and songwriter Zara Larsson commented "Sorry I can't hang out today, I gotta see what's happening with choclatina and strawberto" under one of her posts. As AI artists become more prevalent in the music industry, many people were surprised with Larsson's comment and some saw it as a sign of support for AI art [2]. "Especially as a person with so much influence such as Zara Larsson, I would definitely raise my eyebrows if I were to see her comment such a thing," said Nicole Xu (Neuroscience Major '27), "Additionally, these AI software programs are encroaching on her profession so her comment gives the connotation that artists (even though she doesn't represent every artist in the world) accept AI usage in the entertainment industry." Larsson made a public statement saying that she has never used AI in her art. While some people were upset with Larsson's comments, thousands of people are commenting as well as supporting these posts, and in doing so, further encouraging AI to continue to be present in entertainment.

In addition, artificial intelligence is being used in movies to "bring actors back to life." Actor Val Kilmer was cast in the upcoming film "As Deep as the Grave" but after his passing, generative artificial intelligence was used to create his performance, with his family's permission [3]. As artificial intelligence's inclusion in industries such as entertainment increases, to what extent will AI really harm the Earth?

The Environmental Impacts of AI

Not only does artificial intelligence art use previously created artwork without giving credits, AI is also known to have detrimental effects on the environment. When AI is trying to respond to prompts, the hardware can easily overheat and will become damaged if it is not cooled down [4]. Therefore, many AI data centers use liquid coolant to cool down the hardware. The coolant flows through pipes surrounding the hardware to absorb the heat and in many cases, the liquid is then vaporized.

Clean water must be used in the coolant in order to not allow bacteria to grow in the data centers, which reduces the amount of drinkable water on Earth. With only around 3% of Earth's water being fresh, by 2027, AI could consume a maximum of 6.6 billion cubic meters of water annually [5]. Iris Ye (Finance Major '27), responding to these statistics, claimed "The environmental impacts of AI on freshwater are limiting progress in the global warming fight. AI should not be using a large amount of natural resources to entertain and answer futile questions. In modern day society, there should be a better way to use AI without these external costs."

The Future of AI Entertainment and Its Effect on the Environment

Several countries around the world have tried to combat the harmful effects of artificial intelligence: the European Union passed the AI Act attempting to put more regulations on AI [6]. Many countries that are a part of the United Nations follow the UNESCO recommendations about the ethics and environmental impact of AI [7]. Recently, the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act was proposed. If passed, it would help protect artists' artwork from being plagiarized by generative AI [8].

We cannot go back to a time where AI didn't exist, but we can be mindful about our usage of AI in order to acknowledge the original creations of human artists and protect the environment from its harmful effects.

"We cannot go back to a time where AI didn't exist, but we can be mindful about our usage of AI in order to acknowledge the original creations of human artists and protect the environment from its harmful effects."