What if an AI acting as “environmental manager” were to transform the planet regardless of human interest?
“A central argument made by those encouraging the uptake of AI, is that data-driven systems can depoliticize or neutralize decision making. Extended to the context of ecosystems, this could imply that ecological agendas are prioritized over human goals (and over the status quo where human systems of production are preserved at the expense of everything else).”
Asunder proposes and simulates future landscape design strategies, like cities being relocated or simply removed, forests planted or lithium mines transferred to technological production sites. It would be somehow poetic to see artificial and nature intelligence joining forces to get rid of us. And, I suspect, a bit trash. Like a sharknado utilising surveillance cameras to detect humans. 🌪️🦈🤖
This is where you may want to be introduced to the concept of “Deep adaptation”:
The purpose of this conceptual paper is to provide readers with an opportunity to reassess their work and life in the face of an inevitable near-term social collapse due to climate change. The approach of the paper is to analyse recent studies on climate change and its implications for our ecosystems, economies and societies, as provided by academic journals and publications direct from research institutes. That synthesis leads to a conclusion there will be a near-term collapse in society with serious ramifications for the lives of readers. The paper reviews some of the reasons why collapse-denial may exist, in particular, in the professions of sustainability research and practice, therefore leading to these arguments having been absent from these fields until now.
(thanks Zoe for the suggestion!).
For the restless pragmatics, here you have a list combining a variety of useful datasets (including Earth system data, socioeconomic and citizen science ones) to create analytical insights and knowledge for a sustainable future.