Skip to content
EventOnlinePast event

Tracking the true planetary impact of the AI supply chain

Event artwork for Tracking the true planetary impact of the AI supply chain

This event has ended

This listing is kept as an archive. Explore upcoming events to find your next one.

See upcoming events in Bristol

Supporting this event

Sponsors

Bristol Digital Futures InstituteADLIB Recruitment
About this event

What to expect

Explore the hidden ecological and social costs of AI in this free online talk with researcher and writer Alistair Alexander on 23 September 2026.

Hosted by Green Tech South West, this session moves the AI sustainability debate beyond data-centre electricity use to examine the full supply chain behind increasingly powerful systems. Alexander will trace the materials, manufacturing processes and communities involved in producing the microchips that power AI,and explain why each new generation can demand more energy, minerals and water.

What the talk will cover

The journey runs from “Stargate” data centres and semiconductor “megaclusters” to mining activity on First Nation lands in Canada and Greenland. Topics include:

  • The semiconductor industry’s expanding energy, mineral and water requirements
  • Pollution from microchip manufacturing, including forever chemicals released into land in Taiwan
  • Demand for rare earths and copper, and its effects on Indigenous territories
  • The relationship between AI growth, planetary extraction and workplace exploitation
  • Resistance led by Indigenous leaders, workplace organisers, lawyers and activists throughout the supply chain

Rather than treating affected communities as a footnote, the talk will platform voices that are often missing from mainstream discussions about responsible technology. It should be especially relevant to people working in AI, digital technology, sustainability, climate action or responsible innovation, as well as anyone seeking a fuller understanding of AI’s environmental footprint. No technical prerequisites are listed.

Speaker and format

Guest speaker Alistair Alexander is a researcher and writer at Reclaimed Technologies. His work explores technology’s ecological and social impact, bringing together activists, academics and campaigners to reimagine technological futures. Attendees can also read his Reclaimed Systems publication and recent Truthdig article on AI’s ecological cost.…

Register for this event

Create With Conference · Brighton

The UK's leading event for AI builders.

600+ builders, honest implementation stories and hands-on workshops, once a year. The next edition is being planned.

The main stage at Create With 2026 with a full room
Hackathon participants with their laptops
A panel on the main stage

Running an AI event in Bristol?

List it here, free.

Meetups, workshops and conferences go in front of thousands of builders after a quick review.

List your event