Artificial intelligence is everywhere now. It writes our emails, generates our images, answers our questions, helps companies hire workers and even assists students with homework. AI is often presented as the future, a tool that will make life faster, easier and more efficient. And in some ways, it does. But the world’s rapid and excessive dependence on AI is creating serious dangers that are being ignored. From environmental destruction to misinformation and the decline of critical thinking, the costs of AI may outweigh the benefits if society continues down this path without limits.
One of the most overlooked consequences of AI is its impact on the environment. Many people assume that AI is “clean” because it exists online, but the reality is that AI requires enormous physical infrastructure. AI systems run on massive data centres filled with servers that consume huge amounts of energy and must be constantly cooled to avoid overheating. Cooling these facilities often requires extreme amounts of water.
With more people using AI generators daily, whether for school, entertainment or business, water consumption continues to rise. This is happening at a time when the world is already facing a growing water crisis. The United Nations has recently warned that we are now using more freshwater than the Earth can sustainably provide. In other words, we are consuming water faster than nature can replace it. Adding AI’s increasing water demand into this equation makes the crisis even worse. It is disturbing that a technology used to generate memes, essays and artificial images is contributing to the depletion of one of the planet’s most essential resources.
A second major danger of AI is its role in spreading misinformation. AI-generated photos, videos and audio are becoming so realistic that it is increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what is fabricated. This has enormous implications for politics, journalism and public trust.
Recently, for example, a fake image spread widely on social media showing New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a child alongside Jeffrey Epstein and other powerful US figures. The photo looked convincing, but it was completely AI-generated. This is not just harmless Internet content, it is an example of how easily AI can be used to manipulate narratives, damage reputations and fuel conspiracy theories.
In a world where people already struggle to agree on basic facts, AI makes the situation far more dangerous. If anyone can create a realistic fake image or video in seconds, truth becomes harder to defend. Misinformation spreads faster than corrections and the public becomes more cynical, more divided and more vulnerable to propaganda. AI is turning reality itself into something that can be edited, fabricated and weaponised.
A third concern is the growing dependence on AI in schools and universities. Students are increasingly using AI to complete assignments, solve math problems, write essays and even generate entire projects. While AI can be a helpful tool when used responsibly, it is now replacing learning rather than supporting it.
Education is supposed to build critical thinking, effort and understanding. But many students no longer feel the need to truly engage with concepts when AI can instantly provide an answer. Why struggle through an equation when an AI chatbot will solve it? Why draft an essay when AI can produce one in seconds?
The result is that students are losing essential skills. They are not developing the ability to think independently, analyse information or communicate clearly. Instead of gaining knowledge, many are simply copying outputs. Over time, this will create a generation that is less capable of problem-solving, less creative and more intellectually dependent on machines.
This trend also threatens the workforce. If AI becomes responsible for more writing, designing, planning and decision-making, human labour and creativity will be undervalued. Jobs may be lost, but even more importantly, people may lose the sense of purpose and contribution that comes from doing meaningful work. Efficiency alone cannot replace human thought, imagination or moral judgement.
Of course, AI does have benefits. It can improve productivity, assist medical research and help automate dangerous tasks. But the problem is not AI itself, it is the uncontrolled and excessive way it is being integrated into every part of life without serious ethical or environmental consideration.
The world is rushing towards an AI-driven future without asking whether it is sustainable, truthful, or healthy for human development. If we continue treating AI as a shortcut for everything, from creativity to education to information, we risk harming the planet, weakening society’s relationship with truth and weakening the intellectual abilities of future generations.
Oman al Yahyai
The writer is a multilingual writer and media professional based in Paris. She specialises in human rights and immigration
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