The Planetary Costs of AI: “Atlas of AI” Book Review

AI is not inevitable, nor is it a given. As Kate Crawford reveals in Atlas of AI, behind the sleek interface of artificial intelligence lies a vast network of extraction—of minerals, of labor, of data, of meaning. From lithium mines in Nevada to e-waste dumps in the Global South, AI systems are materially grounded in deeply unequal infrastructures. They are not just powered by code, but by centuries-old ideologies of control, colonialism, and capitalism. This review explores the human and ecological toll of AI’s supply chain and urges a shift from the language of ethics to a critical interrogation of AI’s power.