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AI & Materiality
Grounding the digital in the physical—the environmental costs, infrastructure, and embodied realities of AI.
This pillar grounds the seemingly ethereal world of AI in physical reality. Behind every algorithm lies a material infrastructure: rare earth minerals, massive data centers, underwater cables, and the human labor that maintains them.
Kate Crawford’s “Atlas of AI” traces these supply chains from lithium mines to server farms. Artists like Trevor Paglen reveal the hidden geography of surveillance. This work reminds us that AI is not immaterial—it has weight, consumes energy, and leaves traces on the planet. Understanding these material dimensions is essential for any honest assessment of AI’s true costs and possibilities.