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How does AI affect the environment?

Curriculum for Life editorial team
Curriculum for Life editorial team
There’s lots of talk about how AI affects the environment. In this article, we explore both the positive and negative impacts that it can have.
Decorative picture of people sat at a table
Decorative picture of people sat at a table

AI’s impact on the environment is a big issue, but what’s really going on? In this article, we will explore AI’s impact on the environment and how that affects the current climate crisis. And, we look at what we can all do to use digital tools like AI responsibly.

An illustration depicting how AI can identify ecosystems and insects.

Why talk about AI and the environment?

AI nowadays is used by a lot of people and in a lot of different ways. AI is on our phones, laptops and in the cloud. It feels like practically anything that is digital has some kind of AI agent on it! You might think that AI agents only need the device they are on to function. But in truth, AI depends on a lot of physical infrastructure to work.

This comes at a cost: as AI use grows, so does the demand for energy and natural resources. In turn, this has raised concern amongst people about the impact AI has on the environment.

Why does AI need so much power?

AI systems are trained on huge amounts of data, and then they function by using that data to create their responses to your inputs. The more that AI systems learn from data, the more advanced they get at doing more complex tasks. This means that more complicated AI agents and systems use more data. All that data has to live somewhere, and that means having bigger datacentres to store and process it all.

Those servers also have to run all the time. They use lots of power, and we need to generate that power somehow. Some of it can be sustainably generated, but often it uses up resources. Read on for more detail about how those resources are used and the environmental impact that can have.

What is the environmental cost of AI?

There are many environmental costs of powering artificial intelligence, whether that’s training the models or running the AI itself. One drawback is that AI data centres use hardware which require a lot of raw materials. A lot of the processors and memory used in data centres are made from rare earth elements. These are elements which the planet only has a finite amount of. Plus, they’re often mined in environmentally destructive ways. Data centres also produce electronic waste (sometimes called e-waste) that contains dangerous substances like mercury and lead. Another environmental cost is the water use of these data centres. Cooling all of the servers and components within data centres uses a lot of water! This will only increase as we build more data centres to develop more AI products. This can be a problem, especially when people across the world don’t have access to clean water! Anther risk is that since the quantity of water usage is highly concentrated within these data centres, it can threaten local water supplies. As mentioned previously, AI servers consume huge amounts of power by processing data. A lot of places still use fossil fuels to provide the energy. This in return contributes even more to the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
Wind Turbines on hills with a dusk setting.

Is AI always bad for the environment?

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to AI’s impact on the environment. AI has numerous positives. For instance, AI is currently being used to improve renewable energy systems and help environmental causes. Examples include being able to optimise energy grids, to predict extreme weather so that experts can mitigate risks sooner, and creating new technological developments aimed at reducing waste and emissions.

What can we do to reduce the impact?

We do not need to stop using AI as a whole to make a difference to the environment. Being aware and considerate of how we use digital tools like AI is a very strong start. Some practical advice regarding the use of AI is:

  •  Use AI only when it really helps, not out of habit or for the sake of it
  •  Avoid unnecessary or repeated prompts
  •  Use AI for learning instead of instant answers, reducing the reliance on AI
  •  Stay informed about the environmental impact of digital technology

The future of AI does not have to come at the expense of the environment. People and organisations around the world are working together to identify ways to make AI more sustainable.

View of Troutbeck Valley in England.

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