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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to transform several industries, which can drive innovation quickly. But the concern here is AI's impact on climate change. As technology advances, AI also demands vast amounts of resources and energy. Read this article to check out the right balance between AI and environmental impact. This also highlights the sustainability risks of AI in this new-age environment.
Several industries offer impressive innovation and efficiency, with advancements revolving around artificial intelligence. Nonetheless, besides its promising nature, AI's energy consumption has consequences for the environment. As per some of the predictions, the global power usage with artificial intelligence is estimated to be 4.5 gigawatts. It is also about 8% of the power consumption of data centers in 2023.
Their balance is quite a concern when talking about AI and the environment. One of AI's major concerns is the high energy consumption rate. Training several AI models requires more than normal computing power, which can lead to more electricity consumption. As per research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the training of AI models emits CO2 like five cars driving over their lifetime.
Also, 1% of global energy use, which shows an increase in demand, is accounted for by data centers that carry out all the AI computations. With the adoption of new-age technology, every industry needs to reconcile the energy with the balance of AI and environment.
Developing advanced hardware like GPUs and CPUs is crucial for artificial intelligence. This also involves the mining of raw materials on earth. Extraction and refinement of every material can cause both hazardous waste along with environmental degradation. Moreover, as per the United Nations, approximately 50 million eclectic tonnes of electronic waste are generated annually, which creates the need for proper disposal.
Every AI system is also contributing towards the steps of global warming. The higher electricity consumption often correlates with heavy reliance on fossil fuels, the major component of the global energy mix. The current usage of AI systems is trying to improvise this challenge, which might create a paradox where technological innovations can hinder climate goals.
For example, Google's DeepMind AI project has significantly optimized its data center operations by reducing energy use for cooling. However, scaling up such projects globally remains a hurdle.
There is no doubt that artificial intelligence is all set to bring new and impressive opportunities, while its environmental footprints are also raising the sustainability risks of AI. Taking care of and addressing these issues is a top priority for every developer, company, and policymaker. They all need to work together to bring a balance between AI and environmental impact.
The future ahead brings us exciting opportunities, but they cannot come at the expense of the planet and interfere with the impact of AI on climate change. For a cleaner tomorrow, the need is to bring solutions that drive innovation and the environment together.
