About using AI
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of concerns about AI. Mostly that it uses too much water and that it “steals” from creators. I get where that’s coming from. These are real issues, and they deserve to be talked about. But I also think it’s worth looking at them with a bit more context and nuance.
Water Use: AI vs. Beef (100g) or Chocolate (100g)
A few AI queries use about a third of the water needed to produce 100 grams of beef or chocolate. It’s not nothing, but it’s significantly less than their water footprint.
About wasting water: in the Netherlands, we use 30 litres of clean tap water per person daily just to flush toilets.3 That’s absolutely bonkers when you think about it.
On the "Stealing vs. Inspiration" Debate
To me, it's not about blindly copying, but rather remixing patterns, learning from data, and generating something new. The nuance is essential here:
- Humans do this too. We learn, absorb styles, and create.
- The ethical concern often centres around transparency, consent, and attribution, issues that absolutely need to be addressed.
- Sure, the scrapers are a big concern too, but don’t confuse the tool with the way it’s fed. Let’s focus on fixing the pipeline, not cancelling the potential. And not all AI is fed with these scrapers. There are many ways to train AI responsibly, with proper data sourcing and ethical guidelines in place.
- And for the record: AI that enables plagiarism or copies without credit? That’s not OK. That’s not the kind of AI I use or support.
Yes, I use a bit of AI. Mostly for grammar, spelling, and translation help. I also use it when coding—it's integrated into my IDE, and honestly, I find it incredibly useful.
No, I don’t eat meat. And I hardly eat chocolate, either.
So stop blaming me for using AI—unless you’ve sworn off both meat and chocolate 😉.
Oh, and by the way—em dashes are fine—and, in my view, seriously underrated.
PS I was genuinely nervous about posting this, especially in the online community I’m part of. I know it’s a sensitive topic, and I know people have strong feelings about it. But sometimes, raising awareness means stepping outside your comfort zone.
And honestly, I might change my mind about AI down the line. Things move fast, and I’m still learning, like everyone else. This is just where I’m at right now.
I’m not really looking to start a discussion here. It’s just my perspective, shared in good faith. If it makes you think, great. If not, that’s okay too.