Blaming AI for Wildfires? Why This Perspective Is Ignorant and Dangerous

January 9, 2025

As wildfires devastate communities across California—including high-profile areas and residential neighborhoods in Hollywood—many are understandably grasping for answers. Emotions are raw, and with the climate crisis making its presence impossible to ignore, there’s a growing wave of knee-jerk blame targeting emerging technologies like AI.

A viral message claims technologies like ChatGPT, AI art generators, and self-driving cars are unnecessary energy hogs and part of the problem. It compares training an AI model to hundreds of flights and dismisses these innovations as expendable. While this sentiment taps into broader fears about our planet’s future, it misses the mark entirely. Not only is this perspective shortsighted—it’s harmful.

Every Innovation Starts as an Energy Hog

It’s crucial to recognize that every transformative technology begins its life as an energy-intensive endeavor. Look no further than the early days of email or text messaging. In the 1990s, sending a single email from a BlackBerry required as much energy as running a refrigerator for a day. Phone calls, the internet, and even the first lightbulbs were once considered excessive energy consumers. Who needs electric light when there is an endless supply of whale blubber to light our homes? But here’s the catch: as adoption grows, optimization follows.

Take the cryptocurrency industry, for instance. Just a few years ago, critics were furious about Bitcoin’s environmental impact. Blockchain technology was labeled a climate disaster. Today, less than four years later, the shift to proof-of-stake and other innovations has drastically reduced crypto’s energy consumption. The same optimization curve applies to AI, which is already working toward more sustainable practices.

Condemning AI because it is in its infancy is akin to rejecting the internet in the 1980s for being “too niche.” Imagine how ludicrous it would be to claim we “don’t need” smartphones, texts, or emails now. In moments of disaster, these tools are not only helpful—they’re lifesaving.

The Problem Isn’t Technology

Let’s be clear: wildfires are not caused by ChatGPT, AI art, or even blockchain. Wildfires are a symptom of a planet in crisis. For decades, we’ve watched the earth suffer—burning hotter, drowning faster, and losing biodiversity at unprecedented rates. Blaming emerging technologies for fires, when fossil fuels and deforestation have been the primary culprits for centuries, is a gross misallocation of responsibility.

It’s particularly absurd to suggest we “don’t need this technology.” By that logic, we also don’t “need” texts, emails, or the internet—tools that are proving essential during disasters like the ones unfolding now. Real-time communication, coordination of relief efforts, and dissemination of vital information are only possible because of technological advancements.

How AI Can Help

Ironically, AI is poised to become one of the most powerful tools for combating climate disasters. From early wildfire detection systems to AI-driven predictive modeling for extreme weather, this technology is already saving lives. AI-powered drones assist firefighters by tracking hotspots. Satellite imagery analyzed by AI helps communities prepare for and respond to disasters. Grocery lists and AI art may seem frivolous, but dismissing the entire field ignores the million ways AI improves our lives—and could help save the planet.

Even as Hollywood faces its first reckoning with wildfires, states like Colorado have been battling this reality for years. AI innovations have helped us respond better to disasters and can play an even greater role as we scale their implementation. What we don’t need is to cripple these efforts by clinging to technophobia.

Where the Blame Truly Lies

If we’re serious about assigning blame for wildfires, we should look to governmental inaction, our dependence on fossil fuels, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices. The meat industry alone is a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions. Fast food and a wasteful consumer economy contribute massively to the destruction of our environment. I have no way of proving this, but I wouldn't be surprised if a PR rep from one of these industries made this little graphic.

Technology is not the villain here—it’s part of the solution. While AI and similar innovations may not be perfect, they offer us the chance to build tools that could save the planet. Rejecting them out of fear or misunderstanding only delays progress.

Conclusion

Blaming AI for wildfires is not just misguided—it’s ignorant. The planet doesn’t have time for misplaced outrage. If we want a chance at fighting climate change, we need to embrace every tool at our disposal—including AI. Let’s focus on holding the real culprits accountable and leave behind the shallow scapegoating of the technologies that could help save us.