NEW REPORT 🚨🌳🏭 The UK's plans to 'turbocharge' AI may put the UK’s climate goals at risk❗️ In a new report, we address the gap that exists in trying to achieve two policy goals: decarbonising the UK and advancing AI infrastructure. ➡️mctd.ac.uk/big-tech-clima…

1️⃣ Mandatory disclosure of energy and water use, and emissions, from companies operating large-scale AI systems or data centres. 🟢 Should be modelled on financial and ESG reporting standards, and co-developed by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with HM Treasury Department for Science, Innovation and Technology FRC and Ofgem.

2️⃣Require AI and data centre operators to demonstrate energy efficiency, grid impact assessments, and renewable plans as part of fast-track grid access. 🟢Ofgem’s system for clearing the grid backlog should include enviro prioritisation criteria for digital infrastructure.

3⃣ Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with Climate Change Committee, should integrate digital infrastructure into the UK’s statutory carbon budgeting process under the Climate Change Act. 🟢This includes setting AI-specific emissions reduction targets and guidance to operators on aligning with net zero goals.

4⃣ Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Gov should establish community liaison committees for data centre developments, including local residents, planners, and enviro scientists. 🟢Environmental Audit Committee could oversee annual reviews of AI’s environmental footprint, using mandatory disclosures and expert testimony.

5⃣ Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, with Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, should advocate for harmonised global disclosure standards on AI-related energy and enviro impacts. 🟢These efforts should be advanced through COP, International Energy Agency, OECD ➡️ Better Policies for Better Lives, and partnerships with the EU and countries w/ major cloud providers.

Read the details in the full report, co-authored by our Research Consultant Bhargav Srinivasa Desikan and our ED Prof Gina Neff ⬇️⬇️⬇️ mctd.ac.uk/big-tech-clima…

📢 We’re thrilled to reveal the first set of headline speakers for UKAIRS 2025, these are the leaders helping shape the #AI landscape, across research, policy, industry and innovation. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 👉 8-9 Sep Northumbria Uni, Newcastle 👉 Register now- ukairs.ac.uk

Gap-spotting, problematization, finding a niche: How can researchers develop their contribution to the literature? raulpacheco.org/2025/06/gap-sp… Early ruminations in the scaffolding of a framework to help learners better design their research projects.

AI doesn't just mean investing trillions into building data centres, it means building different types of data centres that are incredibly energy dense and intensive to power and cool the AI chips. Great news in a burning world!

Policy based evidence making from Productivity Commission "considerable uncertainty around how big AI would prove to be, saying at the lower end it could provide just a tiny 0.05% annual boost, or it could cause a 1.3% annual lift — an almost unimaginable explosion in growth"

Misinformation often spreads via the top... "The [fabricated] video ... was eventually shown to be fake — but not before Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk shared the sham report to their millions of followers on X" politico.com/news/2025/08/1…

He lived in a walkable neighbourhood.

NEW REPORT 🚨 BSL is Not for Sale: A Deaf-led approach to AI procurement Sign Language AI systems are being rolled out across the UK's public services without proper consultation with Deaf communities❗️ ️ ➡️ mctd.ac.uk/bsl-not-for-sa…

Our Executive Director Prof Gina Neff is on this year's longlist of the most influential women in UK tech!🏅🤩 🎉 Congratulations to Gina and the other brilliant women on the list who are working to ensure tech works for people, society, and the planet! ➡️ computerweekly.com/news/366630108…

Is Britain ready to cope with data centres❓ Our ED Prof Gina Neff was on BBC Radio 4 Today this morning talking about the environmental cost of data centres, US investment in the UK, and NVIDIA's comments on natural gas and computing. Listen to the convo 🎧⤵️ mctd.ac.uk/is-britain-rea…

Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy Prof Gina Neff BBC Radio 4 Today NVIDIA “The maths need to be right before these facilities can get built. We don’t have enough power and we don’t have enough water” Prof Gina Neff on the latest US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal

When your AI friend changes overnight: the complicated relationship between humans and chatbots 🔍 Read the paper that Prof Gina Neff discusses in the episode, it explores how Replika users responded when their AI companions suddenly changed. More details ➡️ mctd.ac.uk/quasi-domestic…