BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:adamgibbons/ics METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VEVENT UID:24581@offbeat.amsterdam SUMMARY:AI\, Infrastructures and Sustainability DTSTAMP:20260707T203052Z DTSTART:20260902T180000Z DESCRIPTION:Why are we rapidly expanding AI infrastructures? What is the so cial and\nenvironmental impact of rapidly expanding AI infrastructures? Wh o benefits from\nthe AI–hype and who bears the costs? How do metaphors use d to describe\ntechnology restrict our understanding of these questions?\n \nJoin us for the book launch ‘AI\, Infrastructures and Sustainability’\, an event\nthat explores thematerial\, political\, and environmental realit ies behind today’s\nAI systems. The book explores critical issues\, such a s the environmental\ndegradation\, economicconcentration\, and social just ice of AI infrastructure\,\nareas that have often been overlooked in discu ssion on sustainability.The\nenvironmental impacts of data centres\, the f actories of AI\, have been\nextensively documented.Despite this\, the Euro pean Commission aims to triple the\nnumber of data centres operating withi nthe EU\, relying primarily on\nefficiency–based measures to control envir onmental harm. This“sustainability\nthrough optimization” approach flawed and does not account for AI’s supply chain\nof violence. So why are we dee pening conflicts across the globe to build places\nwhere machines thrive?\ nDuring this event\, editors Anne Mollen and Fieke Jansen\, will introduce the\nideas and motivationsbehind ‘AI\, Infrastructure\, and sustainabilit y’\, reflecting\non what the material nature\, politicaleconomy\, and gove rnance of AI reveal about\nits broader societal consequences. Contributing authors Anne Mollen\, Patrick\nBrodie\, and Gerwin van Schie will furhter explore the power structures\,\nenvironmental impact\, and knowledge impl ications of AI infrastructures.\n\n\nSPEAKERS\n\nAnne Mollen is a postdoct oral researcher at the Institute of Communication\nStudies at theUniversit y of Münster. She conducts research on automation\,\nalgorithms and “Artif icialIntelligence“\, specifically on the sustainability of\nAI\, automatio n and public opinionformation\, and the use of automated\ndecision–making systems in the workplace. Patrick Brodie is an Assistant\nProfessor and Ad Astra Fellow in the School of Informationand Communication\nStudies at Un iversity College Dublin. His research focuses on thepolitical\necology of digital infrastructures. He is the co–author of From the Bog to the\nCloud :Dependency and Eco–Modernity in Ireland (Bristol UP\, 2025). Gerwin van\n Schie works as an Assistant Professor in the Media and Culture Department\ natUtrecht University\, where he investigates how plant\, soil\, flower\, and tree\nmetaphors areoperationalised in various forms of algorithmic cul ture\, ranging\nfrom government datasystems to academic discourse on platf orm infrastructures.\nFieke Jansen is Assistant Professor at the Media Stu dy department of the\nUniversity of Amsterdam. She is the co-PI of the cri tical infrastructure lab en\nher research focussed on how the material imp act of expanding infrastructures is\nshaping the management\, distribution \, and depletion of natural resources. URL:https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/ai-infrastructures-and-sustainability GEO:52.3685931;4.8896879 LOCATION:SPUI25 - Spui 25-27\, 1012 WX Amsterdam STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:amsterdam-centrum,books,discussion,ecology,plants,spui X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Why are we rapidly expanding AI infrastruct ures? What is the social and environmental impact of rapidly expanding AI infrastructures? Who benefits from the AI–hype and who bears the costs? Ho w do metaphors used to describe technology restrict our understanding of t hese questions?

Join us for the book launch ‘AI, Infrastructu res and Sustainability’, an event that explores thematerial, political, an d environmental realities behind today’s AI systems. The book explores cri tical issues, such as the environmental degradation, economicconcentration , and social justice of AI infrastructure, areas that have often been over looked in discussion on sustainability.The environmental impacts of data c entres, the factories of AI, have been extensively documented.Despite this , the European Commission aims to triple the number of data centres operat ing withinthe EU, relying primarily on efficiency–based measures to contro l environmental harm. This“sustainability through optimization” approach f lawed and does not account for AI’s supply chain of violence. So why are w e deepening conflicts across the globe to build places where machines thri ve?
During this event, editors Anne Mollen and Fieke Jansen, will intr oduce the ideas and motivationsbehind ‘AI, Infrastructure, and sustainabil ity’, reflecting on what the material nature, politicaleconomy, and govern ance of AI reveal about its broader societal consequences. Contributing au thors Anne Mollen, Patrick Brodie, and Gerwin van Schie will furhter explo re the power structures, environmental impact, and knowledge implications of AI infrastructures.

Speakers

Anne Mollen is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Communication Stud ies at theUniversity of Münster. She conducts research on automation, algo rithms and “ArtificialIntelligence“, specifically on the sustainability of AI, automation and public opinionformation, and the use of automated deci sion–making systems in the workplace. Patrick Brodie is an Assistant Professor and Ad Astra Fellow in the School of Inform ationand Communication Studies at University College Dublin. His research focuses on thepolitical ecology of digital infrastructures. He is the co–a uthor of From the Bog to the Cloud:Dependency and Eco–Modernity in Ireland (Bristol UP, 2025). Gerwin van Schie works as an Assistant Professor in the Media and Cultu re Department atUtrecht University, where he investigates how plant, soil, flower, and tree metaphors areoperationalised in various forms of algorit hmic culture, ranging from government datasystems to academic discourse on platform infrastructures. Fieke Jansen is As sistant Professor at the Media Study department of the University of Amste rdam. She is the co-PI of the critical infrastructure lab en her research focussed on how the material impact of expanding infrastructures is shapin g the management, distribution, and depletion of natural resources. BEGIN:VALARM ACTION:DISPLAY DESCRIPTION:AI, Infrastructures and Sustainability TRIGGER:-PT1H END:VALARM END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR