From data centers to mines: The extractive side of digitalization

Artificial intelligence is often perceived as clean and immaterial. In reality, AI depends on vast amounts of energy, water, and raw materials. As governments and corporations race to expand AI infrastructure, the environmental and social costs are increasingly shifted onto communities and ecosystems around the world.

Together with Tiziana von Witzleben from Heiße Luft and Ben Hardman from EarthRights, we will explore the material foundations of AI. We will discuss the role of rare earth elements in digital infrastructure and the consequences of their extraction, particularly in Myanmar. We will also take a critical look at the rapid expansion of data centers in Germany, their growing demand for energy and water, and the political decisions that increasingly prioritize the growth of AI and digital infrastructure over environmental protection and community concerns.

The webinar will be held in English. After registering, you will receive the participation link by email.

Register by emailing julia.albrecht@weed-online.org