On the other hand, many people seem to think of climate change as an extinction risk in a way that seems effective at motivating political action, e.g. with broad sympathies for movements like Extinction Rebellion.
AI water use has a significant advantage in getting attention in that it’s something clearly measurable that’s happening right now, and people had already been concerned about water shortages before this.
That is a reasonable point about extinction risks motivating some people on climate change. But Republicans, and given their control of the US government and likely short AI time horizons influencing them is a top priority, detest the Extinction Rebellion movement, and current environmental activism seems to anti-motivate them to act on climate change.
On the other hand, many people seem to think of climate change as an extinction risk in a way that seems effective at motivating political action, e.g. with broad sympathies for movements like Extinction Rebellion.
AI water use has a significant advantage in getting attention in that it’s something clearly measurable that’s happening right now, and people had already been concerned about water shortages before this.
That is a reasonable point about extinction risks motivating some people on climate change. But Republicans, and given their control of the US government and likely short AI time horizons influencing them is a top priority, detest the Extinction Rebellion movement, and current environmental activism seems to anti-motivate them to act on climate change.