A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) cautions that the environmental and societal repercussions of generative artificial intelligence (AI) are still largely overlooked. This nonpartisan agency, which performs audits and assessments for Congress and other federal bodies, outlines various potential dangers associated with the swift advancement and implementation of generative AI technologies.
The GAO notes that generative AI has the potential to cause significant disruptions in the labor market, exacerbate the dissemination of false information, and threaten national security. The report also raises alarms about data privacy, cybersecurity weaknesses, algorithmic bias, and a general absence of accountability—all of which could have extensive implications for individuals and society as a whole.
Equally alarming is the environmental impact of generative AI. The GAO stresses the pressing need to gain a clearer understanding of the energy requirements and resource utilization connected to the training and operation of these systems. “Training and using generative AI can lead to considerable energy consumption, carbon emissions, and water usage,” the report mentions. Yet, the environmental impact of AI usage—beyond the training phase—has garnered relatively little attention.
The agency points out that the opacity from AI developers is obstructing research into these effects. Many companies do not make essential technical information available, making it challenging for researchers and policymakers to gauge the comprehensive scope of AI’s environmental and societal repercussions. This absence of data also complicates the evaluation of AI applications designed to benefit the public.
The GAO further questions whether existing policy measures are adequate to tackle the long-term human ramifications of generative AI. In spite of these worries, the federal government is continuing to broaden its implementation of the technology.
During the Trump administration, AI was welcomed as a means to enhance government efficiency and innovation. On April 24, President Trump approved an executive order setting up an Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force aimed at fostering AI integration in K–12 education. This initiative follows previous executive measures that rolled back AI oversight policies from the Biden era.
President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have both shown a commitment to sustaining U.S. leadership in AI development while opposing what they identify as “excessive regulation.” The administration has opted not to engage in multiple international AI accords, including the Paris Summit Declaration on Inclusive AI, a position mirrored by the United Kingdom.
Trump’s wider environmental policies have faced scrutiny as well. His administration had previously withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement and made significant cuts to funding for federal scientific agencies such as NASA and NOAA. Concurrently, Trump has forged connections with notable figures in the AI industry, including Elon Musk of xAI and Sam Altman of OpenAI—both of whom have backed his political initiatives.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent organization of Mashable, initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI in April, claiming that the company utilized Ziff Davis content without authorization to train its AI systems.