The Double-Edged Sword of AI in the Fight Against Climate Change

Artificial intelligence (AI) is both aiding and straining our planet. While AI can analyze environmental data efficiently, its operations significantly increase energy consumption, water usage, and carbon emissions due to data center demands. Some argue for low-tech solutions as alternatives amid the climate crisis.

London, Oct 3 - Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is ubiquitous, from social media curation to navigating city streets. However, it's also contributing to rising greenhouse gas emissions as tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta increase their carbon footprints since 2020, primarily due to energy-intensive data centers.

The World Economic Forum reports that AI's rapid growth, driven by frequent retraining on vast datasets, accelerates the demand for computer power, with U.S.-based gas power plants playing a pivotal role. Experts highlight AI's potential in environmental monitoring and resource management but warn that its substantial energy consumption poses significant ecological challenges.

Critics advocate for low-tech alternatives, citing AI's inefficiency in crises like Hurricane Helene, where reliable power becomes scarce. Emphasizing traditional, resilient solutions could enable society to confront climate crises more sustainably than the digital-intensive approaches proposed by AI enthusiasts.

(With inputs from agencies.)