Both Sam Altman (OpenAI) and Dario Amodei (Anthropic) have made some version of the argument that AI will give us the power to "fix the climate". I find this a deeply problematic position, as the challenges of mitigation are as much political as technological.

Yes. In theory, we have AI someday helping w climate tech. In present-day reality, we have new gas plants being built to support IA's buildout & fossil fuel companies polluting our politics and media - and buying AI services to improve well productivity.

Is their argument not a lot simpler: "AI will create trillions in economic activity..." (a fundamental req. for their plans, otherwise they can't scale up that big anyway), creating a huge surge in tax revenue, meaning governments have the funds to put toward anything they want, including climate"?

There's also the problem of high energy usage of AI which is not exactly helping us mitigate climate change.

Even more so, I’d say - much more!

This is also true for so many other realms of progress. AI may advance scientific discovery but it can never “fix” inequality, poverty, war, or access to housing and healthcare. Those problems aren’t just technical and the solutions must be supported by politics before they can be deployed at scale.

Yes, we need more technological innovation, and there is a world where AI could be transformative there (even if we are a ways off with tools available today). We can and should also spend a lot more on old fashioned RD&D in the near-term.

Argument or assertion? I've only ever heard it asserted.

Then they should explain to the AI ​​the difference between climate change and climate crisis!

The challenges of mitigation are *entirely* political. We already *have* the technology we need. Waiting for "better technology" has been a fossil-fuel holdout position for decades.

Yes end the pollution causing climate change is mostly about political courage and leadership, Marshall Plan or New De style. More Politicians should get a spine and just Do It