As tech firms continue rolling out their latest artificial intelligence (AI) systems, a mountain of old electronics is piling up behind the scenes. With frequent hardware upgrades and difficult-to-recycle components, experts say the technology is accelerating the world’s garbage crisis.
Electronic waste, or e-waste, is one of the world’s fastest-growing solid waste streams, according to the World Health Organization. Since 2010—a year marked by the launch of Apple’s iPad—humans have been steadily producing greater volumes of e-waste.
