IFT - Infratil

[Basil]

I don't see you expressing any worry at all about climate change - you have consistently expressed distaste for companies whose reporting includes minimising carbon footprint.

I had a client, (he's now retired), that sent up weather balloons twice a day for Metservice from Hobsonville airport.  He did it for 50 years, the last 10 years as a contractor which is where I came in as his accountant.  He'd been all around the world in his roles with Metservice during his long career including to the Antartic several times.  Heck of a nice guy.  Here's what he told me the last time I saw him a few years ago after he retired when I asked him what he made of the whole climate change thing.

We're definitely gradually getting warmer.  The average difference in temperature recorded from when he first stated with Metservice and 50 years later is 0.7 degrees C.  What he said next would really concern me if I was younger.  He said we'd already passed the point of no return.  Its not so much the CO2 that's the issue now, its the polar ice cap melt that's released so much more methane into the atmosphere that global warming is now irreversible without a nuclear winter.  Methane is so much worse than CO2 that it wouldn't matter if everyone on the planet started driving an EV right now, the process is irreversible.

In other words, in the due course of time we're screwed so why worry now, its not going to make any difference.  The A.I. thing could happen a LOT sooner than some other form of existential crisis.  That's what's worrying some people but the Mango madman says its all a hoax so I guess if you believe him you can sleep well at night knowing your part in this as part owner of a datacenter is not making any difference.  I guess people tell themselves whatever B.S. they need too to sleep at night and I guess to a certain extent we all do that.

[LoungeLizard]

I had a client, (he's now retired), that sent up weather balloons twice a day for Metservice from Hobsonville airport.  He did it for 50 years, the last 10 years as a contractor which is where I came in as his accountant.  He'd been all around the world in his roles with Metservice during his long career including to the Antartic several times.  Heck of a nice guy.  Here's what he told me the last time I saw him a few years ago after he retired when I asked him what he made of the whole climate change thing.

We're definitely gradually getting warmer.  The average difference in temperature recorded from when he first stated with Metservice and 50 years later is 0.7 degrees C.  What he said next would really concern me if I was younger.  He said we'd already passed the point of no return.  Its not so much the CO2 that's the issue now, its the polar ice cap melt that's released so much more methane into the atmosphere that global warming is now irreversible without a nuclear winter.  Methane is so much worse than CO2 that it wouldn't matter if everyone on the planet started driving an EV right now, the process is irreversible.

In other words, in the due course of time we're screwed so why worry now, its not going to make any difference.  The A.I. thing could happen a LOT sooner than some other form of existential crisis.  That's what's worrying some people but the Mango madman says its all a hoax so I guess if you believe him you can sleep well at night knowing your part in this as part owner of a datacenter is not making any difference.  I guess people tell themselves whatever B.S. they need too to sleep at night and I guess to a certain extent we all do that.

The basis of that philosophy, if I'm reading you right, is that as long as the extinction is so gradual as to not affect us - the older generation - them we shouldn't worry about it. Our kids and grandkids should worry, but that's their problem...

[Otago K]

The basis of that philosophy, if I'm reading you right, is that as long as the extinction is so gradual as to not affect us - the older generation - them we shouldn't worry about it. Our kids and grandkids should worry, but that's their problem...

Is this getting a bit existential if not philosophical for an actual ticker thread here? just my 20cents input, too be clear I don't have any answers to explain or add clarity here.

[allfromacell]

I had a client, (he's now retired), that sent up weather balloons twice a day for Metservice from Hobsonville airport.  He did it for 50 years, the last 10 years as a contractor which is where I came in as his accountant.  He'd been all around the world in his roles with Metservice during his long career including to the Antartic several times.  Heck of a nice guy.  Here's what he told me the last time I saw him a few years ago after he retired when I asked him what he made of the whole climate change thing.

We're definitely gradually getting warmer.  The average difference in temperature recorded from when he first stated with Metservice and 50 years later is 0.7 degrees C.  What he said next would really concern me if I was younger.  He said we'd already passed the point of no return.  Its not so much the CO2 that's the issue now, its the polar ice cap melt that's released so much more methane into the atmosphere that global warming is now irreversible without a nuclear winter.  Methane is so much worse than CO2 that it wouldn't matter if everyone on the planet started driving an EV right now, the process is irreversible.

In other words, in the due course of time we're screwed so why worry now, its not going to make any difference.  The A.I. thing could happen a LOT sooner than some other form of existential crisis.  That's what's worrying some people but the Mango madman says its all a hoax so I guess if you believe him you can sleep well at night knowing your part in this as part owner of a datacenter is not making any difference.  I guess people tell themselves whatever B.S. they need too to sleep at night and I guess to a certain extent we all do that.

AI is also inevitable, humans are not capable of putting technology back into the bag.

China, Russia, South Korea and the USA have all made statements recently that they will not be slowing down. If your adversaries are not slowing down, like nuclear weapons, you simply have no choice. The best defense against nuclear weapons is your own nuclear weapons.

With that said, I'm much more optimistic, I think we will solve alignment concerns, AI models have the potential to be revolutionary in biology think drug discovery, curing diseases.

If you pay attention to robotics it's hard to ignore that recent acceleration in capability, robots will be performing surgery, caring for elderly, serving tables etc etc.

AI is here, it is accelerating and focusing on shutting down it futile, time is best spent on focusing on alignment and safety and to some degree global pacing if possible.

[HAWKDOG]

interesting podcast on AI use.  Its here to stay.  https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-ngqdp-1b577a5

Look into what amazon is doing with robots - or china - China's next step is doing what they did to solar and evs to agriculture - ai and robots will make China an agricultural exporter.

Climate change will hit you sooner than you think - just look at what tower insurance has done to their model.  The price of everything will go up - more air turbulence will disrupt flights, storms will disrupt ocean tankers, flooding will continue to displace millions, crops will fail at a higher pace.

[BlackPeter]

Is this getting a bit existential if not philosophical for an actual ticker thread here? just my 20cents input, too be clear I don't have any answers to explain or add clarity here.

Agreed.

While I think that both global warming as well as the dangers (as well as the opportunities) of AI are very worthwhile to discuss ... I am not quite sure to whether the Infratil label offers the best place to have these discussions.

Any chance, we could put this into the relevant threads? Makes it so much easier for the people who are interested in the subjects to contribute - and find out, what has been said before.

[LoungeLizard]

Agreed.

While I think that both global warming as well as the dangers (as well as the opportunities) of AI are very worthwhile to discuss ... I am not quite sure to whether the Infratil label offers the best place to have these discussions.

Any chance, we could put this into the relevant threads? Makes it so much easier for the people who are interested in the subjects to contribute - and find out, what has been said before.

Agreed, although the discussion is - I think - around whether IFT's investment in datacentres is an ethically good thing or not.