Artificial Intelligence Contributing More to Climate Deterioration Than Mitigation

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the expansion of data centres, particularly those optimised for AI workloads, has become a significant factor in global energy consumption.

According to recent reports, Microsoft's emissions have seen a 29% surge since 2020, primarily due to the growth of these data centres. This trend is not unique to Microsoft; over 8,000 data centres worldwide currently consume as much electricity as the entire country of Italy. A concerning fact is that the majority of these centres still rely on fossil fuels for power.

The energy-intensive nature of data centres is further highlighted by the construction process, which requires carbon-intensive materials like steel, cement, and semiconductors. This contributes to a significant carbon footprint even before the centres begin operation.

However, not all news is grim. Google, for instance, is leveraging machine learning from its AI lab DeepMind to reduce energy usage for cooling data centres by 40%. Similarly, AI-driven technologies are being used to track deforestation, identify pollution leaks, and predict droughts, offering potential solutions to some of the environmental challenges posed by data centres.

The European Union is also taking steps to address these issues. Last year, AI was a topic of discussion at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. The EU aims to link AI startups with its EU-funded network of supercomputers to boost innovation and reduce dependency on US computing power.

Moreover, the EU has launched an initiative to establish 'AI Factories' - large-scale infrastructure designed to support European AI startups and small-to-medium enterprises. These facilities will focus on energy supply capacity, energy and water efficiency, and circularity, aiming to upgrade infrastructure for training advanced AI models across Europe.

The EU also proposes to improve data centre sustainability for artificial intelligence by investing in large-scale AI "gigafactories". Current mechanisms are being revised to support these efforts with the necessary legal frameworks for operation and establishment of such facilities.

Investments in new data centre projects continue unabated, with tech giants like Google and Amazon pouring billions into expansion. However, the EU estimates that data centre electricity consumption will rise from just under 100 terawatt-hours in 2022 to almost 150 terawatt-hours by 2026. By 2039, data centres in the EU could consume more than 3% of all energy used in the EU.

On a positive note, AI is also being used to combat environmental issues. AI-driven drones in Brazil are being guided by AI-powered computers to reforest the hills around Rio de Janeiro. The Ocean Cleanup, an environmental organization in the Netherlands, is using AI technology to clear plastic pollution from the ocean.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, has committed EUR 94 million in grants for AI solutions aimed at tackling climate change and curbing biodiversity loss. These initiatives demonstrate a growing recognition of the need for sustainable practices in the AI and data centre sectors.

As we navigate this digital age, it is crucial to strike a balance between technological advancement and environmental responsibility. The future of AI and data centres lies in their ability to adapt and innovate in a sustainable manner.

Artificial Intelligence Contributing More to Climate Deterioration Than Mitigation