> It’s not AI that is responsible for the 180 zeitgeist change on environmental issues.

Yes, much like it's not the gun's fault when someone is killed by a gun. And, yet, it's pretty reasonable to want regulation around these tools that can be destructive in the wrong hands.

This is off topic, I’m talking about the environmental footprint of data centers. In the 2010s I remember when responding to RFPs I had to specify the carbon footprint of our servers. ESG was all the rage and every big tech company was trying to appear green. Fast forward to today where companies, investors, and obviously the administration are more than fine with data centers burning all the oil/gas/coal power that can be found.

Is it off topic?

What're the long term consequences of climate change? Do we even care anymore to your original point?

Don't get me wrong, this field is doing damage on a couple of fronts - but climate change is certainly one of them.

I don't consider it reasonable to want regulation for tools that are as of now as potentially destructive as free access to Google search.

I don't consider you reasonable if this is your best attempt at a strawman argument.