Artificial intelligence, systemic risks, and sustainability

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Victor Galaz
  • Miguel A. Centeno
  • Peter W. Callahan
  • Amar Causevic
  • Thayer Patterson
  • Irina Brass
  • Seth Baum
  • Darryl Farber
  • Joern Fischer
  • David Garcia
  • Timon McPhearson
  • Daniel Jimenez
  • Brian King
  • Paul Larcey
  • Karen Levy

Automated decision making and predictive analytics through artificial intelligence, in combination with rapid progress in technologies such as sensor technology and robotics are likely to change the way individuals, communities, governments and private actors perceive and respond to climate and ecological change. Methods based on various forms of artificial intelligence are already today being applied in a number of research fields related to climate change and environmental monitoring. Investments into applications of these technologies in agriculture, forestry and the extraction of marine resources also seem to be increasing rapidly. Despite a growing interest in, and deployment of AI-technologies in domains critical for sustainability, few have explored possible systemic risks in depth. This article offers a global overview of the progress of such technologies in sectors with high impact potential for sustainability like farming, forestry and the extraction of marine resources. We also identify possible systemic risks in these domains including a) algorithmic bias and allocative harms; b) unequal access and benefits; c) cascading failures and external disruptions, and d) trade-offs between efficiency and resilience. We explore these emerging risks, identify critical questions, and discuss the limitations of current governance mechanisms in addressing AI sustainability risks in these sectors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101741
JournalTechnology in Society
Volume67
Number of pages10
ISSN0160-791X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.11.2021

    Research areas

  • Anthropocene, Artificial intelligence, Automation, Climate change, Digitalization, Resilience, Social-ecological systems, Sustainability, Systemic risks
  • Environmental planning

Documents

DOI

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Besser, weniger, anders – auf guten Wegen zur Nachhaltigkeit?
  2. Assessing nature-based solutions for transformative change
  3. Impressions from a conference: sustainable land management
  4. Do women on management board increase fair value relevance?
  5. Motivation and emotion as mediators in multimedia learning
  6. Zur Reform der Einlagensicherung von Genossenschaftsbanken
  7. Health and work-life balance across types of work schedules
  8. Wasser als Mangelware der Zukunft auch in Norddeutschland ?
  9. Krisen und Diskurse - das Kunstjahr 2023 aus Berliner Sicht
  10. Gesundheitsförderung in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen
  11. The selfie and the slut bodies, technology and public shame
  12. Teachers’ beliefs concerning teaching multilingual learners
  13. A continental-scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia
  14. Learning from Indigenous Populations and Local Communities
  15. Gender- und diversitygerechte Gestaltung digitaler Lernräume
  16. Freedom in church and freedom in society in German theology
  17. Qualitätsstandards und Transparenz in der Quartären Bildung
  18. Tackling the knowledge-action gap in sustainable consumption
  19. Kostenminimale Kraftwerksteuerung in einem Industriebetrieb
  20. Architecture of an adaptive, human-centered assistance system
  21. Global temporal typing patterns in foreign language writing
  22. Training zur erhöhung der Eigeninitiative bei Arbeitslosen
  23. Der Zentrale Runde Tisch der DDR: Wortprotokoll und Dokumente
  24. Der Zentrale Runde Tisch der DDR: Wortprotokoll und Dokumente
  25. A Sociocognitive Interpretation of Organizational Downsizing
  26. Der Zentrale Runde Tisch der DDR: Wortprotokoll und Dokumente
  27. Der Zentrale Runde Tisch der DDR: Wortprotokoll und Dokumente
  28. Non-invariance? An Overstated Problem With Misconceived Causes
  29. Does ESG performance have an impact on financial performance?
  30. Einsatz neuer Medien in der psychosomatischen Rehabilitation
  31. Der Zentrale Runde Tisch der DDR: Wortprotokoll und Dokumente
  32. Überwachung des Integrated Reportings durch den Aufsichtsrat
  33. Global patterns and drivers of alpine plant species richness
  34. Maternal smoking and offspring inattention and hyperactivity
  35. Ein langer Weg zur Qualitätssicherung von Hochschulprüfungen