If AI harms the environment—should we be using Meta’s services?
In recent days, I have seen criticism directed at people who create images using AI and then post them on social media. The criticism centers, in part, on the fact that AI consumes energy and therefore places a burden on the environment.
This is an important issue. But I believe it raises a follow-up question: If we consider the use of AI to be harmful to the environment, shouldn’t we also reflect on the services where AI is used on a daily basis?
Some of this criticism has been voiced on Facebook—a service owned by Meta. Meta also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, and is the company behind products like Meta Quest. Across its platforms, the company employs AI to recommend content and advertisements. Furthermore, Meta has stated that user interactions with Meta AI may be used to tailor recommendations and ads. Meta on AI and recommendations
Meta is one of the major players in the field of AI, though there is no straightforward ranking that measures all AI usage on a consistent basis. An estimate of the computational power dedicated to developing advanced AI models placed Meta’s AI lab among the largest as of late 2025. However, that estimate does not capture the full extent of how much AI Meta employs across its other services. Epoch AI’s estimate
Another objection to AI is that it involves disclosing too much information. This concern, too, deserves to be taken seriously. At the same time, it is not entirely accurate to say that Meta and Google simply sell our personal data. The companies state that they do not sell the data directly; instead, they use information to target advertisements and generate revenue from that advertising. Meta on ads and personal data Google on its business model
Furthermore, AI services are not automatically free from data collection. It depends on the specific service and how the data is used. For this reason, I believe we should examine both the AI tools we choose to use ourselves and the AI already embedded in the platforms that surround us.
My position is simple: If we criticize AI-generated images for their environmental impact, we should also be willing to ask questions about the companies and services that employ AI on a massive scale. It seems odd to criticize an individual image while never reflecting on the AI behind the feed we scroll through every day.
I would love to hear your thoughts: If the criticism directed at AI concerns its environmental impact, should that also apply to the AI systems that select and recommend content on Facebook and Instagram? Do you see a difference between creating an AI image yourself and using a platform where AI operates in the background on a daily basis? And regarding personal information—do you feel more secure providing data to an AI tool, or to large social platforms that use that information to tailor content and advertisements? Where do you draw the line—at a specific type of AI, a lack of transparency, environmental impact, or the company behind the service? Is it consistent to reject AI-generated images on environmental grounds while still using Meta’s services, or does that same principle require us to re-examine our own habits? Please share your reasoning and where you personally draw the line.
Lämna ett svar