Public sector AI: environmental and socioeconomic impacts

The government’s recent AI Opportunities Action Plan expressly intends to use more AI within in the public sector. Although there can be benefits to using AI, there are unconsidered environmental and workforce impacts. The motion called on NEC to hold government to account on assessing these impacts and was proposed by Athene, DEFRA London and South East: “AI has already brought huge technological changes to ways of working and living. But tech companies are too willing to move fast and break things with no thought to the effects on humanity. AI has lots of potential to improve work but also to take it away.

“Further, the environmental factors have not been factored in. AI uses a staggering amount of water and energy and that amount is going to increase as the resources become increasingly scarce.

“If AI does replace our jobs, I don’t have any hope that this government would step in to help. This is one of the great working issues of our lifetime. And it is our responsibility as union to insist on scrutiny.”

Athena, Wales Revenue and Customs, seconded the motion:

“AI makes mistakes and hallucinates information. Even though it can be used for immense good, it is owned and run by an unethical industry. US-based tech based companies must not be allowed to infiltrate public services and exploit our data. We need to move quickly to regulate this sector and it falls to us to lead on that.”

The motion was carried unanimously.

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