The Geography of AI

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Leader

Mr Baird

Cohort

Max 12 Students

Timing

TBC (likely to be Tues or Thurs 6pm)

Course Overview

This course explores the hidden geographies of artificial intelligence, examining how data centres, resource extraction, global supply chains and technological power are reshaping the planet. Through seminar-style discussions, case studies, GIS mapping and collaborative enquiry, pupils will investigate the environmental, economic and social impacts of AI across different places and scales.

At the heart of the course is the key question: Is AI creating a more sustainable and equitable world, or reinforcing existing inequalities? Pupils will critically evaluate whether AI is helping to solve global challenges or deepening existing patterns of environmental damage, uneven development and social injustice.

Key Benefits

  • Explore one of the most important contemporary geographical debates.
  • Develop independent research and critical thinking.
  • Analyse real-world case studies and develop spatial thinking using ArcGIS.
  • Build confidence in collaborative enquiry and academic presentation.

Course Structure

The course develops an understanding of the environmental and social impacts of AI - both positive and negative - with the ultimate aim of reflecting on the question, “To what extent is AI creating a more sustainable and equitable future?” Due to the scale of the topic, we will prioritise depth over breadth, focusing on a small number of carefully selected examples and contemporary debates. Expect some pre-reading!

Indicative Session Outline

  1. The Environmental Cost of AI: Water & Energy
  2. Critical Minerals and Extraction
  3. AI, Labour and Global Inequality
  4. Can AI Solve Environmental Problems?
  5. Research Launch: Investigating the Geography of AI
  6. Skills Workshop: Mapping AI with ArcGIS
  7. Independent Research
  8. Final Presentations and Reflections