In this reflection from the Data for Public Goals event at Politecnico di Milano, we call for a radical reframing of how we understand and govern data for AI. Moving beyond technical metrics and ethical tweaks, the piece introduces a planetary justice lens that traces AI's impacts across its full supply chain–from resource extraction to model deployment. Highlighting the ecological, labor, and epistemic costs embedded in AI systems, the post challenges the narrative of data neutrality and questions the assumption that automation is inherently beneficial. What if, instead of optimizing AI, we asked whether it is needed at all–and who gets to decide?

AI is often seen as the answer to our planetary crises. But what if it’s also part of the problem? In this reflection from the ISEE/Degrowth 2025 Conference, Sara Marcucci argues that AI is not just a neutral tool—it’s a product of growthism and dualism, built on extractive infrastructures and driven by an ideology of more. Drawing on real-world supply chain impacts and grounded community practices, the piece offers a framework for reimagining AI through a degrowth lens: starting with collective purpose, guided by relational values, and enacted through democratic, low-impact practices.