SZA voiced her concerns about artificial intelligence and its environmental effects this week.
On Tuesday (July 15), the SOS singer posted a meme on her Instagram Story featuring The X-Files’ Dana Scully with the caption: “Yeah, I use AI. Actual Imagination.” Alongside the meme, SZA wrote, “AI is killing and polluting Black and Brown cities. None of you care ‘cause [you’re] codependent on a machine. Have a great life.”
While AI development continues to grow, studies show its environmental consequences impact marginalized communities the hardest. According to MIT News, the energy demands of AI technology increase carbon emissions and strain local water supplies, especially in Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-income areas.
One example is Elon Musk’s company, xAI, which opened a supercomputer facility in South Memphis, Tennessee, last year. Residents and activists report that the site has become a major air polluter near historically Black neighborhoods, such as Boxtown, where cancer risk is already higher than the national average.
The NAACP threatened legal action against xAI, claiming the company lacked permits for its gas-burning turbines, which allegedly release harmful emissions into nearby communities. “We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson told The New York Times.
Meanwhile, some artists have taken a different stance. Kelis recently discussed homeschooling her child using AI tools, The Alchemist defended AI-generated cover art, and Gunna mentioned interest in signing an AI artist.
SZA’s post comes as more public figures weigh in on how AI’s benefits and challenges affect everyday life.
