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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted thisAn unexpected takeaway from Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at our conversation on AI and data centers at SF Climate Week: Unlike most polluting industries, the first wave of data centers weren’t clustered in formerly redlined, low-income neighborhoods. Instead, developers built in wealthy communities like Santa Clara because they have the modern infrastructure data centers need. Now, as people catch on to the harmful local effects of diesel backup generators and heavy water use, the second wave of data centers is targeting low-income communities of color. This was such a rich conversation on the climate impacts of AI, local organizing, and what we all can do to stop the reckless expansion of data centers. We were happy to add some local Bay Area knowledge and an environmental justice lens. Thanks to moderator Heidi Lim and our panelists: Alex Hanna, Ph.D. at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at AllAI Consulting, LLC ... and our very own Veronica Eady! And our co-organizers: Climate Action Club MediaJustice
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted this‘Who defines the AI race in which Europe is supposedly falling behind?’ asked Karen Hao, author of the bestseller ‘Empire of AI’, in the European Parliament today. In fact, the major US AI companies themselves are defining this race by scaling up their generative AI models at an unprecedented rate. The exponential growth of AI models requires ever-increasing amounts of data. Obtaining this data leads to data protection and copyright infringements. Their training in water- and energy-intensive data centres exacerbates existing environmental injustices. Rather than trying to catch up in this race to the bottom, Europe should take a turn towards a more innovative and less harmful approach to AI. Karen Hao has clearly set out four steps that are necessary to dismantle the current exploitative ‘Empire of AI’ and forge new paths: 1️⃣ We must reject our dependence on big tech companies and actively choose open-source and more resource-efficient technologies. Each time we use a big tech AI model, we supply them with data and consolidate their power. 2️⃣ We have to reject the ideology of endlessly scaling up AI models to improve their performance. It has already been proven that smaller and more specific AI models are equally powerful while causing less harm. 3️⃣ We need to increase transparency around the big models. Effective legislation could require tech companies to share their knowledge resources, opening up the market to alternative options. 4️⃣ We should invest in independent research that can hold big tech companies accountable, rather than relying on their self-assessments. Karen Hao told us about the first signs that the ‘Empire of AI’ is beginning to crumble in the USA. The vast majority of 80% of the US population is concerned about large generative AI models that cause psychological harm to users and lead to water shortages and rising electricity bills. Against this political backdrop, California issued an executive order in March requiring public procurement of AI to comply with labour, environmental, and data protection standards. Maine has become the first US state to pass an 18-month moratorium on new data centres, and eleven other states are considering similar legislations. The dangers of large-scale generative AI are also being felt here in Europe and we should act accordingly. Amazon plans to build three new data centres in the arid northern region of Spain, which would severely impact the region's water and electricity resources. As Karen Hao put it, the US is a massive real-world experiment in unregulated AI from which we in Europe can learn a great deal. I had the great pleasure of hosting this very inspiring in-person conversation with Karen Hao today as the first edition of the Tech and Courage event series. More to come!
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted thisYesterday, the Department of Energy circulated a list of clean energy and carbon removal projects the agency had classified as “retained." Several carbon removal projects were on that list, including the Direct Air Capture Hubs and other RD&D projects. Later in the day in a testimony before Congress, Energy Secretary Wright confirmed the administration had finished its monthslong review of clean energy and carbon removal projects, choosing to preserve nearly 2,000 of them that had a “strong economic or business case.” If you recall, the DAC Hubs appeared on many widely-circulated cut lists, so this outcome was far from guaranteed. Once those lists leaked, CRA and our members doubled down on our advocacy. What quickly became clear was carbon removal’s broad bipartisan support and local impact. In Louisiana, Project Cypress is strongly supported by the governor, elected leaders, and business stakeholders in the state. This support is a direct result of the hard work of the Heirloom and Climeworks teams to engage with community members and substantiate the local economic impact of these projects. This is a step in the right direction but what’s important now is that these projects get built. That means steel in the ground, agreements honored, and clarity so our companies can do what they do best: build. Once completed, the DAC Hubs in Louisiana and South Texas will be the largest carbon removal facilities in the world — cementing US leadership and delivering jobs and economic benefits to the communities that have fought so hard to keep them. All this to say: Our work is far from over, but this is a huge milestone. Big thanks to everyone who partnered with us to get this far, and let’s get building. 🚀 More in Axios (# 3 in the newsletter): https://lnkd.in/e2zCyfM4
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Heidi Lim reposted thisThis is about as good a speech as you can get against an AI data center in OhioHeidi Lim reposted thisIf you ever wonder why the pushback on AI data centers… this pretty much outlines all of it from the water consumption, to environmental waste, and keep in mind these don’t bring jobs. Many of these giant buildings are run by about about 10 people. There’s so many more economic ways to power AI. Dumping gasoline on a bonfire is not the only way to stay warm.
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Heidi Lim shared thisI'm super excited to co-host this SF Climate Week conversation on the climate and environmental justice implications of big tech AI and data centers. https://luma.com/jmfw42fo I think it will be a really grounding and open place for us to get clarity on how to think about this AI boom, especially as we as climate people are seeing so many mixed messages on AI. While doing research for my video essay on these topics, I was surprised to learn that not all AI is created equal or even uses the same amount of resources. So how can we parse through the marketing and messaging of big tech's promises? What is actually helpful to address the climate crisis? Join me and our lineup of experts in AI ethics and environmental justice: - Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M - AI Ethicist and Founder of AllAI Consulting, LLC and the Taps Run Dry Initiative - Veronica Eady, Executive Director of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project - Alex Hanna, Ph.D., Director of Research at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) Many thanks to my co-organizers West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project with Clara Weinstein and Climate Action Club with Danielle Lee, and to MediaJustice for funding support.
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted thisBay Area folks - if you can't join us in Atlanta for #TakeBackTech, please check out this MediaJustice supported event "Beyond the Hype: A Critical Climate Lens on AI," organized by the wonderful Heidi Lim, and featuring Alex Hanna, Ph.D., Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M, and Veronica Eady. One of the things we'll be doing together in Atlanta is bridging siloes between climate, tech & racial justice. We aren't all in this work for tech justice alone - we're working towards a just transition. To do that, we need allies and co-conspirators in Silicon Valley. I'm excited about this April 21st conversation and grateful to the folks holding it down while we decompress from Atlanta. It's a good feeling to wish you could be in two places at once - and, for me, a validation that the field and relationships we're building are working as intended toward deeper solidarity and shared analysis to upstream causes like corporate monopoly power. Register for the #SFClimateWeek conversation here >> https://luma.com/jmfw42foBeyond the Hype: A Critical Climate Lens On AI · LumaBeyond the Hype: A Critical Climate Lens On AI · Luma
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted thisJust reading the news about Canada's "largest AI data center" being built in Saskatchewan... pretty much *now*, and I have so many questions: - How exactly will it bring $12 billion in revenue to the province's economy? - How long will it take to bring new nuclear power online, and how realistic is that given that the data center is meant to be operational within a year and a half? (usually this takes at least 5 years) - How will the data center be powered in the meanwhile, given that fossil fuels represent more than 3/4 of the current energy mix in Saskatchewan (see the screenshot below)? - What happened to the concerns raised in the community about the possible strain the data center would place on power supply? It kills me that instead of being smart, thinking on our feet and utilizing the renewable energy grids that we have in Canada, we're taking the move-fast-and-burn-fossil-fuels approach that is putting AI on an unsustainable course. (Links to sources in comments!)
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted thisI lost a friend and former colleague yesterday. They were at home in central Beirut when a bomb flattened their building. Hundreds of families had their loved ones and homes taken from them yesterday by Israel, during its indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon. What is happening now in Lebanon is a direct result of our governments' active support of Israel's genocide in Gaza, something for which I will never forgive our political, media and business leaders for abetting. I will never forget the government arresting those of us who peacefully protested against this evil. And I will never forgive the establishment's refusal to Call A Thing What It Is. Its willingness to hedge language, to cast doubt on Palestinian tolls, use the exonerary tense, to fall prey to and repeat Israeli gaslighting. All this hesitation incurred a debt to the truth that we are now seeing paid in Lebanon, a country I love and lived in for many years. How much longer are we prepared to pay the interest? https://lnkd.in/eS-WPE4VAt least 254 killed after Israel hits Lebanon with massive wave of airstrikesAt least 254 killed after Israel hits Lebanon with massive wave of airstrikes
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Heidi Lim reposted thisHeidi Lim reposted this"That is why the debate cannot be reduced to whether AI might do good one day, because the system being built right now is already redistributing power upwards while pushing environmental costs and information risks outwards" Great Greenpeace summary of how data centre development is rotten at both ends: https://lnkd.in/eF8DFZ4Z
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Heidi Lim reacted on thisHeidi Lim reacted on thisIf you met me in the last few years - perhaps at a geothermal roundtable or a Coffee and Climate chat - you might not know that I co-founded a startup for gifting carbon dioxide removal. It's called Thanks a Ton (a fantastic name; hats off to my co-founder Cara Maesano). We built Thanks a Ton because we believed the carbon removal industry, which cleans existing CO₂ pollution from the air, would not scale if people didn't know or care about it. I still think that's true. This week, Thanks a Ton closed its digital doors. It's worth reading this beautiful post from my incredible co-founders Laura Katayama and Tessaria to understand why: https://lnkd.in/eqcPxCwg My favorite part is the thank you section. I want it to live forever and have posted it below because it embodies everything that starting a company in climate was for me. I don't think a lot of people get such amazing co-founders on the first try. I did. Thanks a ton to the three of you. Call me up any time and we'll do it again.
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Heidi Lim liked thisHeidi Lim liked thisI can't be the only one who gets the ick every time someone says that LLMs '𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬' or that AI models are '𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤', right? 🥴 The very term "𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦' can be misleading, making people project human-like qualities that modern-day machine learning systems simply don't have... all while making billions of dollars of profit from AI-enabled tools for the companies that create them 💲 Cue "𝗚𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴" -- the practice of using polysemous terms to evoke familiar meaning, all while maintaining plausible deniability. 🤷♀️ In our paper, with Travis LaCroix and Fintan Mallory (accepted to this year's ACM FAccT conference), we explore the potential repercussions of glosslighting and how it has impacted modern AI research and practice. Check out the link in the comments! 🦋
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Heidi Lim reacted on thisHeidi Lim reacted on thisAn unexpected takeaway from Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at our conversation on AI and data centers at SF Climate Week: Unlike most polluting industries, the first wave of data centers weren’t clustered in formerly redlined, low-income neighborhoods. Instead, developers built in wealthy communities like Santa Clara because they have the modern infrastructure data centers need. Now, as people catch on to the harmful local effects of diesel backup generators and heavy water use, the second wave of data centers is targeting low-income communities of color. This was such a rich conversation on the climate impacts of AI, local organizing, and what we all can do to stop the reckless expansion of data centers. We were happy to add some local Bay Area knowledge and an environmental justice lens. Thanks to moderator Heidi Lim and our panelists: Alex Hanna, Ph.D. at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at AllAI Consulting, LLC ... and our very own Veronica Eady! And our co-organizers: Climate Action Club MediaJustice
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Heidi Lim reacted on thisThis was a great conversation. I'm so appreciative for the opportunity to share the stage with Veronica Eady, Alex Hanna, Ph.D., and Heidi Lim. I'm also excited to connect with West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. They have a long and distinguished history of doing amazing community research and advocacy. I'm proud to have them recognize my work 🥰.Heidi Lim reacted on thisAn unexpected takeaway from Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at our conversation on AI and data centers at SF Climate Week: Unlike most polluting industries, the first wave of data centers weren’t clustered in formerly redlined, low-income neighborhoods. Instead, developers built in wealthy communities like Santa Clara because they have the modern infrastructure data centers need. Now, as people catch on to the harmful local effects of diesel backup generators and heavy water use, the second wave of data centers is targeting low-income communities of color. This was such a rich conversation on the climate impacts of AI, local organizing, and what we all can do to stop the reckless expansion of data centers. We were happy to add some local Bay Area knowledge and an environmental justice lens. Thanks to moderator Heidi Lim and our panelists: Alex Hanna, Ph.D. at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) Masheika Allgood JD, LL.M at AllAI Consulting, LLC ... and our very own Veronica Eady! And our co-organizers: Climate Action Club MediaJustice
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Heidi Lim liked thisMy doctor asked me and then gave up and said lets not use it because I'm asking too many questions or rather its taking too much time because of my questions 😂 Read below 👇🏽Heidi Lim liked thisHave you been asked by a medical provider recently for consent to have an "AI" scribe record your visit? Us, too. And we have **thoughts** https://lnkd.in/gMfw8MtpWhy you should refuse to let your doctor record youWhy you should refuse to let your doctor record you
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Heidi Lim liked thisHeidi Lim liked this‘Who defines the AI race in which Europe is supposedly falling behind?’ asked Karen Hao, author of the bestseller ‘Empire of AI’, in the European Parliament today. In fact, the major US AI companies themselves are defining this race by scaling up their generative AI models at an unprecedented rate. The exponential growth of AI models requires ever-increasing amounts of data. Obtaining this data leads to data protection and copyright infringements. Their training in water- and energy-intensive data centres exacerbates existing environmental injustices. Rather than trying to catch up in this race to the bottom, Europe should take a turn towards a more innovative and less harmful approach to AI. Karen Hao has clearly set out four steps that are necessary to dismantle the current exploitative ‘Empire of AI’ and forge new paths: 1️⃣ We must reject our dependence on big tech companies and actively choose open-source and more resource-efficient technologies. Each time we use a big tech AI model, we supply them with data and consolidate their power. 2️⃣ We have to reject the ideology of endlessly scaling up AI models to improve their performance. It has already been proven that smaller and more specific AI models are equally powerful while causing less harm. 3️⃣ We need to increase transparency around the big models. Effective legislation could require tech companies to share their knowledge resources, opening up the market to alternative options. 4️⃣ We should invest in independent research that can hold big tech companies accountable, rather than relying on their self-assessments. Karen Hao told us about the first signs that the ‘Empire of AI’ is beginning to crumble in the USA. The vast majority of 80% of the US population is concerned about large generative AI models that cause psychological harm to users and lead to water shortages and rising electricity bills. Against this political backdrop, California issued an executive order in March requiring public procurement of AI to comply with labour, environmental, and data protection standards. Maine has become the first US state to pass an 18-month moratorium on new data centres, and eleven other states are considering similar legislations. The dangers of large-scale generative AI are also being felt here in Europe and we should act accordingly. Amazon plans to build three new data centres in the arid northern region of Spain, which would severely impact the region's water and electricity resources. As Karen Hao put it, the US is a massive real-world experiment in unregulated AI from which we in Europe can learn a great deal. I had the great pleasure of hosting this very inspiring in-person conversation with Karen Hao today as the first edition of the Tech and Courage event series. More to come!
Experience & Education
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Self-employed
View Heidi’s full experience
See their title, tenure and more.
or
Licenses & Certifications
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Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age
Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, in association with HarvardX
Issued
Volunteer Experience
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Member, active in the Ecological Justice League
Lavender Phoenix
- 4 years 1 month
Civil Rights and Social Action
Honors & Awards
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Ruhr Fellowship
University Alliance Ruhr
Highly selective engineering fellowship to work and experience life in West Germany for a summer.
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US Presidential Scholar
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Prestigious national scholarship for academic, community, and leadership achievement. Represented Nevada in Washington DC.
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