AI has an environmental problem
1 month, 1 week ago

AI has an environmental problem

The Hindu  

AI has become an indispensable part of our lives, transforming how we work, live, and do business. Impact across stages The environmental impact of AI arises across several stages of its value chain, including energy consumption from infrastructure, computing hardware production, cloud data centre operations, AI model training, inferencing, validation, and related processes. In terms of hardware, data centres, the backbone of AI operations, contribute 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. Generative AI models like ChatGPT, which rely on sophisticated machine learning techniques, require 10–100 times more computing power than earlier versions, further driving demand for graphic processing units and worsening the environmental footprint. AI’s software life cycle emissions arise from processes like data collection, model development, training, validation, maintenance and retirement, and are equally concerning.

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History of this topic

How is the tech industry thinking about AI's environmental impact?
3 days, 8 hours ago

How is the tech industry thinking about AI's environmental impact?

NPR  

How is the tech industry thinking about AI's environmental impact? KWONG: Craig says that the older way of cooling data centers - basically, there's lots of methods, but it's a daisy chain of moving heat with air and water - is consumptive. KWONG: Even though DeepSeek was trained more efficiently this way, other scientists I spoke to pointed out it's …

Does AI pose a threat to sustainable development?
2 months, 1 week ago

Does AI pose a threat to sustainable development?

China Daily  

MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY Editor's note: The 2025 World Economic Forum, being held in Davos from Monday to Friday under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age", is expected to foster a spirit of cooperation and optimism in the digital age in a more sustainable way, despite the different positions of the participants and global uncertainties. As a result, the power …

Does AI pose a threat to sustainable development?
2 months, 1 week ago

Does AI pose a threat to sustainable development?

China Daily  

MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY Editor's note: The 2025 World Economic Forum, being held in Davos from Monday to Friday under the theme "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age", is expected to foster a spirit of cooperation and optimism in the digital age in a more sustainable way, despite the different positions of the participants and global uncertainties. As a result, the power …

Generative AI and Climate Change Are on a Collision Course
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Generative AI and Climate Change Are on a Collision Course

Wired  

In 2025, AI and climate change, two of the biggest societal disruptors we're facing, will collide. These range from generating colossal amounts of energy to power the data centers that run tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney to the millions of gallons of freshwater that are pumped through these data centers to make sure they don’t overheat and the tons …

AI will positively influence sustainability goals
4 months ago

AI will positively influence sustainability goals

New Indian Express  

BENGALURU: About 96% of Indian executives believe that artificial intelligence can positively impact their sustainability goals. IBM released its State of Sustainability Readiness Report 2024, and according to that, globally, respondents had a positive take on AI’s potential for sustainability as nine out of 10 surveyed executives agree that AI will positively influence achieving their sustainability goals. The report also …

‘AI could be the key to solving global climate crisis,’ Meta’s Yann LeCun tells Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha
4 months ago

‘AI could be the key to solving global climate crisis,’ Meta’s Yann LeCun tells Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha

Live Mint  

Artificial intelligence could play a pivotal role in addressing the global climate crisis, according to Yann LeCun, Chief AI Scientist at Meta, in a compelling discussion with Nikhil Kamath on theWTF Podcast. LeCun described AI as a "force multiplier for human intelligence," arguing that its ability to process complex datasets, simulate outcomes, and propose innovative solutions could revolutionise environmental policy …

How to make AI less of a power guzzler
4 months, 1 week ago

How to make AI less of a power guzzler

Live Mint  

Artificial intelligence is poised to transform both work and everyday life. But it has a dark underside: AI computer centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, to power their processing chips and cool the heat they emit. The biggest AI providers, including Amazon, Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Meta and Microsoft, say they are working to be both carbon-neutral and replenish …

Tech companies are signing nuclear deals because AI is sucking up too much energy
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Tech companies are signing nuclear deals because AI is sucking up too much energy

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. And most recently, Amazon has perhaps taken the biggest step of the trio, signing three deals to …

Letters to the Editor: Don’t let the AI revolution in California be powered by fossil fuels
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Letters to the Editor: Don’t let the AI revolution in California be powered by fossil fuels

LA Times  

To the editor: As your editorial notes, the dramatic rise in electricity demand from California’s growing number of data centers can cripple our clean energy transition. Putting the debate aside about how essential some AI functions are, it’s clear that we should avoid backsliding on our transition to clean energy by powering these facilities with dirty fossil fuels that pollute …

Editorial: Generative AI is an energy hog and that could hurt progress fighting climate change
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Editorial: Generative AI is an energy hog and that could hurt progress fighting climate change

LA Times  

Artificial intelligence is one of the world’s fast-growing technologies, with Google, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and others rolling out generative AI models. It’s also one of the most energy-intensive technologies, and that is raising alarm that AI data centers’ thirst for electricity will increase planet-warming emissions and strain the electrical grid. Data centers, or large buildings filled with computer servers, already …

AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change
8 months, 3 weeks ago

AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change

NPR  

AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change toggle caption Josh Edelson/Getty Images Researcher Jesse Dodge did some back-of-the-napkin math on the amount of energy AI chatbots use. “And they're willing to pour a ton of resources into that, including things like training AI systems on bigger and bigger data centers all the way …

Google blames AI for growing emissions that threaten its climate goals
8 months, 4 weeks ago

Google blames AI for growing emissions that threaten its climate goals

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Google partly blamed AI for the fact that its carbon pollution continued to grow last …

AI driving rise in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions, says company
8 months, 4 weeks ago

AI driving rise in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions, says company

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have …

Tech Still Isn’t Doing Enough to Care for the Environment
1 year, 1 month ago

Tech Still Isn’t Doing Enough to Care for the Environment

Wired  

We are in a climate crisis, and technology can be either a part of the problem or a force for good, says Greenpeace CTO Priscilla Chomba-Kinywa. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, she explains, we have “less than seven years before Earth becomes really difficult to live on.” Last year alone, the world witnessed wildfires in North America, …

Generative AI builds a roadmap to reduce carbon footprint
1 year, 2 months ago

Generative AI builds a roadmap to reduce carbon footprint

Hindustan Times  

As the poster boy of all things new and good, generative Artificial Intelligence has been talked about as the cornerstone that will power a company's objective rapidly, with sustainable measures at the helm. At the recently concluded COP28, nations finalised pacts to focus on reducing emissions, thus aligning with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees …

How AI could power the climate breakthrough the world needs
1 year, 4 months ago

How AI could power the climate breakthrough the world needs

CNN  

Programming note: Listen to a version of this story on CNN’s One Thing podcast with David Rind. “The way we think about AI is it’s a time and effectiveness multiplier to the solutions for climate change,” Gupta told CNN. “We want to make it easier for people to make better choices.” Finding the right balance There’s a downside to all …

Artificial intelligence could use as much electricity as a small country
1 year, 5 months ago

Artificial intelligence could use as much electricity as a small country

Live Mint  

Currently, artificial intelligence is dominating different spaces, from technology to medicine. In a commentary published October 10 in the journal Joule, author Alex de Vries warned that increased adoption of AI tools in the future could surge its energy footprints so much so that it could exceed the power demands of some countries, a Science Daily report said. Elaborating on …

We need to talk about the environmental impact of AI models
1 year, 11 months ago

We need to talk about the environmental impact of AI models

Live Mint  

While there is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence these days, what’s missing from these exciting conversations about the future is how AI chatbots could threaten it. However, as climate activists around the world are calling attention to depleting water resources, companies investing heavily in AI haven’t yet addressed the enormous water footprint of AI. A recent paper showed …

Tech Tonic: Expected technology trends in the year 2023
2 years, 2 months ago

Tech Tonic: Expected technology trends in the year 2023

Firstpost  

Fuelled by accelerated digitalisation, the world is at a fascinating juncture of cutting-edge tech — of super apps, big data, emerging technologies, and path-breaking innovation. While AI, ML, and IoT will rule in 2023 and beyond, the tech trajectory will be partial towards sustainable, energy-efficient climate-saving technology. Here’s what we can expect about the tech trends in 2023: CEOs’ perspectives …

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