Examiningthepotentialbenefitsandrisksofusingartificialintelligencetoadvanceglobalsustainability.DroneswithnightvisionaretrackingelephantandrhinopoachersinAfricanwildlifeparksandsanctuaries;smartsubmersiblesaresavingcoralfromcarnivorousstarfishonAustralia’sGreatBarrierReef;recycledcellphonesalertBrazilianforestrangerstothesoundofillegallogging.Thetoolsofartificialintelligencearebeingincreasinglydeployedinthebattleforglobalsustainability.Andyet,warnsPeterDauvergne,weshouldbecautiousindeclaringAItheplanet’ssavior.InAIintheWild,DauvergneavoidstheAIindustry-poweredhypeandoffersacriticalview,exploringboththepotentialbenefitsandrisksofusingartificialintelligencetoadvanceglobalsustainability.DauvergnefindsthatcorporationsandstatesoftenuseAIinwaysthatareantitheticaltosustainability.ThecompetitiontoprofitfromAIisentrenchingtechnocraticmanagement,revvingupresourceextraction,andturbochargingconsumption,asconsumersbuynewsmartdevices(anddiscardtheirold,less-smartones).Smarttechnologyishelpingfarmersgrowcropsmoreefficiently,butalsoempoweringtheagrifoodindustry.Moreover,statesareweaponizingAItocontrolcitizens,suppressdissent,andaimcyberattacksatrivalstates.IsthereawaytoharnessthepowerofAIforenvironmentalandsocialgood?DauvergnearguesforprecautionandhumilityasguidingprinciplesinthedeploymentofAI.
