ChatGPT Experiment on Predictions and the Sustainable Web

On Dec 9th, I asked ChatGPT to "Write a list of predictions for 2023 on adoption the adoption of sustainable web technology."

1. More companies will prioritize the use of sustainable web technology in order to reduce their carbon footprint and meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
2. The use of renewable energy sources for powering data centers and other web infrastructure will continue to grow.
3. Governments and regulatory bodies will introduce new policies and initiatives to encourage the adoption of sustainable web technology.
4. The use of sustainable web hosting services, such as those powered by renewable energy, will become more widespread.
5. More companies will implement sustainable web design practices, such as using reusable and recyclable materials, in order to reduce waste and improve environmental performance.
6. The number of sustainable web development tools and platforms will increase, making it easier for companies to build sustainable websites and applications.
7. The use of sustainable web technologies, such as those that reduce energy consumption and minimize resource use, will become more common in the IoT space.
8. The adoption of sustainable web technology will lead to increased innovation and competition within the tech industry.
9. Consumers will become more aware of the environmental impact of their online activities, and will demand more sustainable options from companies.
10. The growth of sustainable web technology will lead to increased collaboration and partnerships between tech companies and environmental organizations.

Then I asked it “Write a list of precise predictions which can be measured for 2023 on adoption the adoption of sustainable web technology.”

1. The number of websites using sustainable hosting providers will increase by at least 25%.
2. The use of sustainable web technologies, such as renewable energy-powered servers, will increase by at least 15%.
3. At least 50% of the top 100 websites will have adopted sustainable web technology solutions.
4. The amount of carbon emissions saved through the use of sustainable web technology will increase by at least 10%.
5. The number of companies offering sustainable web technology solutions will increase by at least 20%.
6. The number of government websites using sustainable web technology will increase by at least 30%.
7. The number of consumers specifically seeking out and supporting companies that use sustainable web technology will increase by at least 15%.
8. The amount of investment in sustainable web technology companies will increase by at least 30%.
9. The number of articles and media coverage discussing sustainable web technology will increase by at least 50%.
10. The number of educational resources and programs focused on sustainable web technology will increase by at least 25%.

And then again asked “Write a list of precise predictions which can be measured for 2023 on adoption the adoption of sustainable web technology. Also include the 2022 benchmark for these sustainability measurements.”

1. In 2023, at least 50% of the top 100 websites will use sustainable web hosting, up from 35% in 2022.
2. The amount of electricity used for web hosting will decrease by at least 10% in 2023, compared to 2022 levels.
3. In 2023, the average carbon footprint per website will decrease by at least 5% compared to 2022 levels.
4. At least 75% of the top 100 websites will use sustainable web design principles, such as minimizing the use of resources and reducing the amount of energy needed to access the site, compared to 65% in 2022.
5. The number of websites that use sustainable web technologies, such as energy-efficient servers and renewable energy sources for power, will increase by at least 15% in 2023 compared to 2022.
6. In 2023, at least 50% of the top 100 websites will have a sustainability policy in place, compared to 40% in 2022.
7. The average amount of water used for web hosting will decrease by at least 5% in 2023 compared to 2022 levels.
8. The amount of waste generated from web hosting will decrease by at least 10% in 2023 compared to 2022 levels.
9. In 2023, at least 50% of the top 100 websites will use sustainable web development practices, such as recycling code and using open source technology, compared to 40% in 2022.
10. The number of websites that have achieved a high level of sustainability, as measured by a recognized third-party certification, will increase by at least 25% in 2023 compared to 2022.

I shared this with the SustyWeb W3C Community, and was encouraged by the discussion with Alexander Dawson & Tim Frick . Tim encouraged me to share this experiment.

It is highly unlikely that these predictions come true. It isn't like human predictions are fraught with problems. We can't assume that Machine Learning tool like #OpenAI's #ChatGPT will ever be able to predict the future. It is just interesting to be able to ask for measurable results from ChatGPT which a human is unlikely to get. It is uncertain what will happen from the input from people using ChatGPT, but ideally it will be used to help make this interface more convincing in the future.

It is still interesting to see this list and see what the algorithm can do with the data it has and the question I have asked.