By Rachel Mohamed
Producing a high-definition image with artificial intelligence requires as much energy as fully charging a cell phone. This is according to a researcher on the impact of artificial intelligence on climate, Sasha Luccioni. In 2023, US tech giants saw a significant rise in greenhouse gas emissions due to AI, with Google’s emissions up 48% since 2019 and Microsoft’s up 29% since 2020. Luccioni has advocated for energy-efficiency certifications and increased transparency from tech companies.
Speaking on PM Drive on Tuesday, the CEO, Worldwide Worx Editor-in-Chief, Gadget Arthur Goldstuck said, “Innovators in AI are advancing so rapidly that the power of their AI tools like CHATGPT is expanding by the day.
“And not even a day goes by that you don’t see a new AI tool released and not a month goes by that we don’t see the big players like CHATGPT announcing a new more powerful functionality of these tools,” he said.
Some experts have warned that using new technology such as artificial intelligence has contributed to a climate crisis that has negatively impacted the environment.
The creation of AI models
demands extensive training and significant computing power. OpenAI seeks to raise 3 trillion dollars to develop the next-generation machine for training AI models. A single AI search consumes 30 times more computing power than a regular search engine, resulting in increased energy consumption and the need for larger data centers to store the resulting massive amounts of data in the cloud.
Goldstuck strongly asserted major tech companies are not doing enough to address climate-impacting activities or reduce gas emissions. However, he highlighted that “big data centers like Amazon Web Services in Cape Town have expressed their goal of achieving complete carbon neutrality, sustainable water use, and energy powered by solar farms in the Northern Cape. Google has also committed to using 100 percent renewable energy by the end of the decade.”
“While traditional energy usage is lower, forgoing AI also means sacrificing significant advancements in various sectors. For instance, the healthcare industry leverages AI models for medical research, discovery, and diagnostics. It’s imperative not to avoid using AI due to energy consumption, especially in critical areas like healthcare.”
Instead, he concluded there is an urgent need to transition to renewable energy sources such as solar power.
Listen for the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
