Sustainable Artificial Intelligence: A Perspective on Society, Ethics, and the Environment

The rise of sociotechnical systems means that we and our systems are more interconnected than ever before. This is especially true in sociotechnical systems that incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI), where systems can make decisions to achieve their goals that may unintentionally positively or negatively impact other entities if they are unable to consider the wider impact of their actions on other systems, people, and the environment. These unintended interactions, or unintended consequences of their actions, can stem from colocated systems pursuing conflicting or competing goals, a lack of awareness or consideration for the embodied societal or environmental cost of the system, or even through enabling AI systems to make potentially detrimental decisions or actions. Often, discussions on sustainability focus on the environment; however, given the prominence of sociotechnical systems, sustainability in the context of AI is now more than just this; although sustainable AI encompasses its effects on the environment that manifest over time, we argue that the sustainable AI systems of the future have an immediate effect on our social fabric that must be considered in their design and operation.