Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Sustainability Through a Daoist Framework.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a very powerful tool in creating sustainable environments. Yet, the main focus of the application of current AI systems is on increasing efficiency. If we want to create sustainable environments, we must strive for ecological harmony, not just increase in efficiency. For thousands of years, Daoist ecological thinking have developed various ways of living in harmony with Nature. Applying Daoist ecological principles of harmony, balance and minimum disturbance to AI systems for creating sustainable environments is therefore a promising approach. This paper explores how current AI applications for creating sustainable environments can be developed using various approaches of ecological thinking, including Daoist ecological thinking. The main methodologies used in this paper are a comprehensive literature review of current AI applications for creating sustainable environments, case studies of current impacts of AI on ecosystems and developing a framework of Daoist-informed AI applications for creating sustainable environments. By developing a framework of adaptive, minimum disturbance AI interventions which maintain balance in ecosystems while increasing efficiency of resource use, this paper shows that there are implications for environmental policy and technology governance as well as designing ethical AI. The integrative approach used in this paper can help develop AI into a tool for creating sustainable harmony rather than causing ecological disturbance.