Utility Bidder, a business energy consultancy, uses Midjourney, a text-to-image tool, to create hypothetical photographs of monuments affected by acid rain, sandstorms, and other environmental changes caused by global warming. Generated.
One photo showed cracks in the Great Wall of China, a defensive structure spanning more than 21,000 kilometers (13,048 miles) built over centuries by several Chinese emperors. If the cracks are exacerbated by a powerful sandstorm, parts of the structure could collapse.
Other images show Mount Rushmore in the US state of South Dakota being rotten by acid rain caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and India’s Taj Mahal’s ivory-white marble exterior turning yellow due to polluted air. The scene was captured.
The famous reflecting pond outside Angkor Wat’s gates could turn into cracked earth in severe drought, while Jordan’s ancient city of Petra could be submerged by floods, according to AI-generated images. . Stonehenge in southwest England could collapse, and Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border could shrink due to drought.
As part of the project, the team read a series of online articles to understand the environmental threats affecting each landmark. We then gave Midjourney appropriate prompts to create an imaginary photo.
James Longley, managing director of the utility bidder, said: “If we don’t protect our planet and everything in it, we will soon lose some of the world’s most historic landscapes. “We will be on the front lines of destruction.”
“Hopefully these images will resonate with many people about the dire effects of climate change and encourage people to not only continue to care for and preserve these landmarks, but also to make their own lifestyle choices to help the cause. I hope it will influence you to consider it.”
Generative AI has gained global attention since US startup OpenAI unveiled its popular ChatGPT bot in November 2022. The technology has since been applied to a variety of industries, from energy and retail to healthcare and public services.
For example, the United Nations used AI in its satellite imaging centers to analyze flooded areas and determine where disaster response is needed.
However, scientists have also raised concerns about the environmental costs associated with training and using large-scale language models. Language models power AI chatbots and are often computationally intensive techniques.
In 2019, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that training AI models can generate more than 626,000 pounds (284,000 kg) of carbon dioxide. This is nearly five times the lifetime emissions of the average American car, including the manufacturing of the vehicle. .