AI has a sustainability problem: How to tackle its carbon footprint

Illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Forbes or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries but comes with a significant environmental footprint
• Data centers, driven by AI, could account for 2-3% of global power consumption by 2030, with AI pushing data center power demand up by 160%
• Companies like Salesforce and Microsoft are exploring innovative solutions like smaller, efficient AI models and renewable energy to mitigate AI’s carbon impact

🔭 The context: AI's growth is projected to soar, with the market expanding from $40 billion in 2022 to over $1.3 trillion by 2030
• However, energy demands are intensifying, with data centers already contributing up to 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions
• Industry leaders are focusing on solutions like low-carbon data centers, renewable energy, and collaborations such as Salesforce’s Energy Scores for AI Models project to address these challenges

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: AI’s sustainability problem threatens to offset its potential benefits if left unchecked
• By driving renewable energy adoption and enhancing energy efficiency, the tech industry can turn AI’s energy demands into an opportunity for sustainable innovation
• The stakes are high as AI adoption grows alongside environmental concerns

⏭️ What’s next: Companies are investing in green energy sources like nuclear power and carbon capture, alongside improving AI models’ efficiency
• Collaborative efforts, such as standardized ratings for AI environmental impacts, aim to increase transparency
• The future hinges on balancing AI’s transformative potential with sustainability imperatives

💬 One quote: “AI agents can enable more efficient energy use within an organization…with a net-positive impact on the environment” – Lan Guan, Accenture Chief AI Officer

📈 One stat: AI is expected to push data center power demands up by 160% by 2030, consuming 2-3% of global power

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