Caution! The AI Boom by 2030 Will Bring a Crisis of Millions of Tons of E-Waste
With the rapid development of generative AI technology, the amount of e-waste generated is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. A global research analysis predicts that by 2030, AI-related e-waste will skyrocket from 2,600 tons in 2023 to 2.5 million tons. This figure is equivalent to nearly two discarded iPhones for each of the 8.5 billion people worldwide, raising serious concerns about environmental impacts. Image source note: Image generated by AI, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney.
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