• self@awful.systems
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    109
    ·
    2 days ago

    there’s this type of reply guy on fedi lately who does the “well actually querying LLMs only happens in bursts and training is much more efficient than you’d think and nvidia says their gpus are energy-efficient” thing whenever the topic comes up

    and meanwhile a bunch of major companies have violated their climate pledges and say it’s due to AI, they’re planning power plants specifically for data centers expanded for the push into AI, and large GPUs are notoriously the part of a computer that consumes the most power and emits a ton of heat (which notoriously has to be cooled in a way that wastes and pollutes a fuckton of clean water)

    but the companies don’t publish smoking gun energy usage statistics on LLMs and generative AI specifically so who can say

    • Soyweiser@awful.systems
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      2 days ago

      there’s this type of reply guy on fedi lately who does the “well actually querying LLMs only happens in bursts and training is much more efficient than you’d think and nvidia says their gpus are energy-efficient” thing whenever the topic comes up

      This kind of person (also happened a lot with cryptocurrencies) always goes ‘that isn’t how it works, this isn’t a problem’ then doesn’t explain what the mistake is you are supposed to have made, and then a few weeks/months/days/search later it is revealed that it was how it works and it is a huge problem. And it is so annoyingly common im very happy with the moderation here.

      • frezik@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 day ago

        I just want to be able to legally punch people who think NFTs would bring down TicketMaster. It’s the peak of not understanding how things work and injecting a solution just because it’s high tech.

        • David Gerard@awful.systemsOPM
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          1 day ago

          one that already exists - you can go to a show and your “ticket” is a hash you were sent in email and they cross it off at the door

      • skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 day ago

        jeez fuck this is just reality negationism at this point

        you could snipe it down with canned response like r/buttcoin does (there are only so many types of these people), and it could count as a win because reply guy isn’t there to win debate, he’s there to spread his propaganda, but here, it’s too much effort for no gain because nobody will be swayed anyway

      • self@awful.systems
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        1 day ago

        it’s so common that I wish there was a specific name to put to that and every other type of reply guy that cryptocurrencies, chan culture, and meme stocks “gifted” us. it feels like the bullshit tactics cropped up faster than anyone really was able to catalog them, though a lot of them are really recognizable when you’ve seen them a few times.

        • froztbyte@awful.systems
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 day ago

          I’m guessing that “obscurantist proponent” is not exactly an ideal option, sorta lacks that punch for precise poignant use in an enraged soliloquy

          I’ll give it a ponder see if my brain delivers an option

    • maol@awful.systems
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      2 days ago

      I live in Ireland and these companies keep trying to build data centres here even though they are using way too much of our energy as is :)) From an Irish environmental org:

      A few years ago when researching new gas power stations in Ireland, we noticed that many of these developments were being proposed alongside another type of infrastructure: data centres. […] As of June 2023, there are 82 operational data centres in Ireland, with another 14 under construction. Additionally, 40 data centres have had planning permission approved with another 12 awaiting a decision. […] Data centres account for 18% of all electricity use in Ireland […] This is putting unprecedented strain on the electricity grid, with grid operator Eirgrid estimating that data centres may account for up to 27% of Ireland’s electricity demand by 2028. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in Ireland has noted a risk of rolling electricity blackouts…

      • froztbyte@awful.systems
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        1 day ago

        ah yes, ireland, the land of just-close-enough to LIXP/TH(D|E)/etc but with different-enough property prices and power capabilities to make it very attractive to the discerning dc builder

        (there’s also some of the tax regs shit but aiui that isn’t as gaping a hole as it used to be)

        • maol@awful.systems
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          6 hours ago

          We’re actually having a housing crisis at the moment (like everywhere else) so I dunno about property prices…I think it’s the extremely receptive attitude of the Irish government.

          • Match!!@pawb.social
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            6 hours ago

            do you have a housing crisis or do you have a landlord crisis (like how the US has 16 million vacant homes)

            • maol@awful.systems
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              2 hours ago

              landlord crisis and a vulture fund crisis. don’t get me started because I’ll be frothing at the mouth in seconds

      • Match!!@pawb.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 day ago

        I thought the Irish were always pretty good at kicking out colonialist efforts. Maybe just try the old reliable approach.

        • maol@awful.systems
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          7 hours ago

          Our entire economy since the 80s has been reliant on neo-colonial relationships with multinational companies unfortunately

          • Match!!@pawb.social
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            6 hours ago

            that is unfortunate because Ireland was my backup plan for if the US falls (half of my grandparents were citizens)

            • maol@awful.systems
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              2 hours ago

              Yeah imo Ireland has never had a left-wing government, we tend towards right-populist/right centrist/neoliberal. “Stable but shit” is how I described it to my brother just this hour gone while discussing politics. We’re currently seeing the beginnings of an organized racist right as well

    • GoTeamBoobies@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      52
      ·
      2 days ago

      I joined the Microsoft climate solutions team, I think doing so has crushed all my hopes. That team is doing small things like “let’s all go plastic free for July!” Top 20 company in the world and the best we can do is go plastic free for a month? Meanwhile MSFT is not on course to meet their own climate goal by 2030

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      43
      ·
      2 days ago

      “It only uses 5x as much energy as a regular search! Think of how much energy YOU’RE using with searches!” Okay, so you’re just using 5x as much energy for worse results? And also probably doing it more often than people who just use a normal search engine, because they don’t expect the search engine to talk to them. I’ve never understood how that was supposed to be an exoneration for it, even without taking into account that nobody ever seems to know whether or not that figure includes energy spent on training.

      • David Gerard@awful.systemsOPM
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        43
        ·
        2 days ago

        AI bros use literally the same whatabout excuses for their ghastly power consumption that I know from years of bitcoin bros doing the same

        like, at least christmas lights bring joy

    • Specal@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 day ago

      On one hand, yes let’s get annoyed at companies for using alot of energy. On the other hand, we have known our energy needs will be exponential for decades yet we haven’t tackled the issue. We still burn fossil fuels, despite having the ability to not do that.

      Being angry at companies for building a new technology yet not being angry at the government and NIMBY fuckwads is a little… Backwards imo.

          • Match!!@pawb.social
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            6 hours ago

            we absolutely talk every day about how the governments are failing us go get your own solar panels and run your mlm bullshit there

          • self@awful.systems
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            1 day ago

            holy shit we didn’t even have to dig to find out you’re garbage

            thank you for making this the easiest ban ever

              • Specal@feddit.uk
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                1 day ago

                It’s funny because both of you misunderstood my comment in order to reaffirm yourselfs. I don’t give a shit about trans people, they have as much right to exist as anyone else, I was talking about the right wings nonsense.

                • self@awful.systems
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  5
                  ·
                  1 day ago

                  yeah don’t come back on an alt you fucking moron

                  I don’t give a shit about trans people

                  that much is clear, you use trans folks like a fucking cudgel to make a shitty point. but I also don’t believe this:

                  I was talking about the right wings nonsense.

                  given you seem to be a bitcoin right-libertarian at best. it’s time for you to fuck off, again

                  • V0ldek@awful.systems
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    8
                    ·
                    16 hours ago

                    I can’t see the posts since they were removed, so this is amazing. I have no idea how he went from crypto-scented energy whataboutism to transphobia in three comments flat.

                    Also two bans in three comments is some quality speedrunning, awful-systems any%.

                  • self@awful.systems
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    7
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    1 day ago

                    presenting a DM from someone who absolutely doesn’t have internalized transphobia, never heard of it:

                    So I’m gonna reach out and say that you hastily misunderstood “and that shit about trans people”. I’m talking about the hate speech from the right wing. Keep me banned though that community is full of people who really have a low level reading ability.

                    when a libertarian-presenting shithead with not particularly deep political takes posts “it’s a distraction just like the bullshit about trans people” with no other qualifiers, it’s absolutely understood as a dogwhistle for “people need to shut up about trans issues”

                    and if I’m wrong about that? using trans folks to make your bullshit points is still fucking transphobia. don’t do this shit. it’s fucking concerning you can’t understand that.

                    e: also, and this is important: the republicans are planning a fucking genocide of trans folks and you’re calling it a distraction. what the fuck is wrong with you.

      • self@awful.systems
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        1 day ago

        I don’t think any of the reply guys I’m talking about work for the government, but I am pretty fucking angry that a lack of regulation and government oversight allows the companies I mentioned to flood the market with worthless, polluting grifttech they say needs dedicated power plants to scale to meet a fictional level of demand

        it’d be nice if anyone was seriously considering regulation that’d stop these companies from doing stupid harmful shit. unfortunately they’re not (and the ability of the US government to effectively regulate any industry at all has just been effectively ended), so I don’t really have anything to write about in that area.

    • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      The last part is absolutely false. The Nvidia H100 TDP is like 700W, though ostensibly configurable. The B200 is 1000W. The AMD MI300X is 750W.

      They also skimp on RAM with many SKUs so you have to buy the higher clocked ones.

      They run in insane power bands just to eek out a tiny bit more performance. If they ran at like a third of their power, I bet they would be at least twice as power efficient, and power use scales over nonlinearly with voltage/clock speed.

      But no, just pedal to the metal. Run the silicon as hard as it can, and screw power consumption.

      Other AI companies like Cerebras are much better, running at quite sane voltages. Ironically (or perhaps smartly), the Saudis invested in them.

      • self@awful.systems
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        19
        ·
        2 days ago

        Other AI companies like Cerebras are much better, running at quite sane voltages. Ironically (or perhaps smartly), the Saudis invested in them.

        it’s real bizarre you edited this in after getting upvoted by a few people

          • self@awful.systems
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            21
            ·
            2 days ago

            “it’s just lemmy, my reddit shit will work fine there” says meme stock marketer who’s never been subjected to any kind of scrutiny

          • can@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            15
            ·
            2 days ago

            I usually append them at the end of the comment preceded by “Edit:” for transparency.

          • self@awful.systems
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            12
            ·
            2 days ago

            do the results of your personal research frequently look like marketing horseshit?

            • froztbyte@awful.systems
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              8
              ·
              edit-2
              2 days ago

              (notably posted at a 7min delta after the other comment with oh so specific details, and just entirely dismissing the man behind the curtain as to the plurality of compute involved)