Schmarsow, Prisca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6756-6420 (2026) The cost of AI. Prisca Schmarsow.

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Abstract

The Cost of AI: A Curated Critical Reading List is a comprehensive resource examining the multifaceted impacts of artificial intelligence beyond promotional narratives. Compiled for educators and students, this collection integrates peer-reviewed research, policy analysis, investigative journalism, and independent critical perspectives to address persistent gaps in mainstream AI discourse.

The reading list spans seven interconnected domains: energy consumption and environmental impact, including AI's water usage and carbon footprint; labour exploitation and the invisible human work powering AI systems; job displacement and workforce transformation; algorithmic bias and discrimination; copyright and creative worker displacement; AI's effects on education and critical thinking development; and governance frameworks including the EU AI Act.

Drawing from authoritative sources including Stanford HAI, MIT, Brookings Institution, and the International Energy Agency alongside voices from the independent web development community, the resource provides both foundational critical texts and emerging research. Over 150 sources—from 2022 through early 2026—document systemic harms, technological limitations, and regulatory responses with particular attention to often-overlooked costs: data centre water consumption, Kenyan content moderators earning under $2 per hour, and measurable erosion of academic integrity.

This curated collection challenges the assumption that AI's benefits are self-evident, instead centring the perspectives of affected communities: artists whose work trains systems without compensation, workers whose labour is rendered invisible, and educators grappling with assessment integrity. Ideal for university courses, student self-directed learning, and institutional resource development, the list maintains rigorous academic standards while remaining accessible to those new to critical AI scholarship.

Item Type:	Other
Uncontrolled Keywords:	critical reading list, AI, ethics, sustainability, bias, privacy, energy, water consumption, environmental impact, labour exploitation, AI scholarship, EU AI Act
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Design and Creative Industries
Last Modified:	19 Feb 2026 12:12
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52508

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