October 4, 2024

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AI has an environmental problem. Here’s what the world can do about that

There is hope that artificial intelligence (AI) can help tackle some of the world’s biggest environmental emergencies. Among other things, the technology is already being used to map the destructive dredging of sand and chart emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. 

But when it comes to the environment, there is a negative side to the explosion of AI and its associated infrastructure, according to a growing body of research. The proliferating data centers that house AI servers produce electronic waste. They consume scarce water, rely on unsustainable minerals and rare elements, and use massive electricity, contributing to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions.

“There is still much we don’t know about the environmental impact of AI but some of the data we do have is concerning,” said Golestan (Sally) Radwan, the Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “We need to make sure the net effect of AI on the planet is positive before we deploy the technology at scale.”

This week, UNEP released an issue note that explores AI’s environmental footprint and considers how the technology can be rolled out sustainably. It follows a major UNEP report, Navigating New Horizons, examining AI’s promise and perils. Here’s what those publications found.

AI is a catch-all term for a group of technologies that can process information and, at least superficially, mimic human thinking. Rudimentary forms of AI have been around since the 1950s. However, the technology has evolved at a breakneck pace in recent years, in part because of advances in computing power and the explosion of data, which is crucial for training AI models.

Image: Internet

AI’s ability to detect data patterns and predict future outcomes makes it crucial for environmental monitoring, promoting eco-friendly choices, and enhancing efficiency in various sectors. UNEP, for example, uses AI to detect when oil and gas installations vent methane, a greenhouse gas that drives climate change. 

Advances like those are fostering hope that AI could help the world tackle at least some aspects of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

So how is AI problematic for the environment?

Most large-scale AI deployments are housed in data centers, including those operated by cloud service providers. These data centers can take a heavy toll on the planet. The electronics they house rely on a staggering amount of grist: making a 2 kg computer requires 800 kg of raw materials. As well, the microchips that power AI need rare earth elements, which are often mined in environmentally destructive ways, noted Navigating New Horizons. 

The second problem is that data centers produce electronic waste, which often contains hazardous substances, like mercury and lead. 

Third, data centers use water during construction and, once operational, to cool electrical components. Globally, AI-related infrastructure may soon consume six times more water than Denmark, a country of 6 million, according to one estimate. That is a problem when a quarter of humanity already lacks access to clean water and sanitation. 

Finally, to power their complex electronics, data centres that host AI technology need a lot of energy, which in most places still comes from the burning of fossil fuels, producing planet-warming greenhouse gases. A request made through ChatGPT, an AI-based virtual assistant, consumes 10 times the electricity of a Google Search, reported the International Energy Agency. While global data is sparse, the agency estimates that in the tech hub of Ireland, the rise of AI could see data centres account for nearly 35 percent of the country’s energy use by 2026. 

Driven in part by the explosion of AI, the number of data centres has surged to 8 million from 500,000 in 2012, and experts expect the technology’s demands on the planet to keep growing.

Some have said that when it comes to the environment, AI is a wildcard. Why is that? 

AI-based applications’ environmental impacts are uncertain, but experts worry about unintended consequences like increased greenhouse gas emissions from self-driving cars and potential misinformation about climate change, which could deceive the public and increase the use of cars.

Is anybody doing anything about the environmental impacts of AI?

“Governments are racing to develop national AI strategies but rarely do they take the environment and sustainability into account. The lack of environmental guardrails is no less dangerous than the lack of other AI-related safeguards.”

How can the world rein in the environmental fallout from AI?

In the new issue note, UNEP recommends five main things. Firstly, countries can establish standardized procedures for measuring the environmental impact of AI; right now, there’s a dearth of reliable information on the subject. Secondly, with support from UNEP, governments can develop regulations that require companies to disclose the direct environmental consequences of AI-based products and services. Thirdly, tech companies can make AI algorithms more efficient, reducing their energy demand, while recycling water and reusing components where feasible. Fourthly, countries can encourage companies to green their data centres, including by using renewable energy and offsetting their carbon emissions. Finally, countries can weave their AI-related policies into their broader environmental regulations.

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