My Learnings: #35

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is nothing short of exhilarating. I find myself embracing the current technologies as often as possible, integrating them into my life with great success. What I’ve come to call my “digital assistant” or “digital professor” has proven invaluable, revealing countless applications that enhance both my productivity and understanding. Yet, amid this excitement, I’ve noticed a growing chorus of concern—particularly about the environmental impact of AI’s escalating power demands. Critics argue that the energy required to fuel the world’s AI ambitions could strain our planet’s resources, but I see these worries as largely overblown, perhaps even a deliberate attempt to hinder progress. Yes, the power needs are real, but history shows that humanity excels at solving such challenges. Take DeepSeek’s recent breakthrough as an example: by optimizing software and algorithms, they achieved superior AI performance with less computational power than traditional methods. This shift challenges the prevailing notion that the AI race is purely a contest of raw compute, CPU strength, and data volume. Instead, it puts human ingenuity back in the driver’s seat, proving that smart engineering can deliver better results with fewer resources.

This reminds me of my early days in biotech. Back then, people fretted over where we’d source the water for drug substance production or how we’d fund ever-expanding bioreactor capacity. In response, clever engineers developed higher-yielding processes that maximized existing infrastructure, producing significantly larger batches without additional inputs. The parallels to AI are striking—and they fuel my optimism that we’ll overcome the power demands some fear will harm the environment. But honestly, I find this whole environmental debate beside the point, even a costly distraction. The real stakes of the AI race dwarf these concerns. Whoever dominates AI will dominate the world—economically, militarily, governmentally, culturally, you name it. And there’s no guarantee that leader will wield that power for humanity’s benefit, let alone to improve your life as an individual.

This isn’t just a technological competition; it’s a matter of national defense and personal sovereignty. If our nation doesn’t seize the lead, we won’t have the luxury of worrying about the environment—we’ll be too busy grappling with the consequences of being outpaced. Picture a world where an adversary, unburdened by such concerns, surges ahead in AI, much like the nuclear race decades ago. Imagine if we’d hesitated to develop nuclear weapons out of fear for the environment while our rivals pressed on, eager to claim supremacy and dictate the world’s course. The same logic applies here. The country that establishes AI superiority will project unmatched power across every conceivable domain, cementing a position that could prove nearly impossible to challenge. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that the freedom of humankind hinges on the most ethical, incorruptible players winning this race.

Slowing progress over environmental fears isn’t an option—not when the issue may not even be as dire as claimed. This is a military-grade priority, a fight for survival in the short term that determines whether we even have a long term to plan for. Without victory in the immediate future, concerns about sustainability become irrelevant; you don’t get to fret over the planet if you’re enslaved by the winner. AI isn’t just a tool or a trend—it’s the defining battleground for national security and human liberty. We must cut through the noise, focus with unrelenting clarity, and ensure we come out on top. Anything less risks ceding control of our future to those who won’t hesitate to shape it in their image.