I'm your host, Maddie Yang, a sophomore in high school at Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, PA. I'm super passionate about all-things climate change, sustainability, and empowering and educating others to take action against the climate crisis. My goal for this segment is to provide listeners with a glimpse to a whole variety of topics in the vast realm of sustainability, from biodiversity to ecotourism, and plant-based diets to sustainable swaps.
In this episode, we're going to be discussing the link between generative AI and the environment.
In today's world, it feels as though we are constantly surrounded by artificial intelligence. Despite the increased productivity and reduction of human error that AI brings, we as a society are experiencing the fine line between those positive aspects and ethical concerns and security risks.
The environmental concerns that AI brings are often neglected and raise major concern as generative AI becomes more and more a part of daily life. AI servers are kept in massive data centers that house the physical elements of AI, such as their computing machines and hardware. These data centers are surprisingly reliant on water, which is used to either generate electricity or as a method to cool down the servers and hardware because it gets very hot easily as it generates so much energy. In fact, according to the University of Tulsa, some data centers use up to roughly 5 million gallons of water per day to keep hardware cool. For reference, there are approximately 5,400 data centers in the U.S. alone, with Virginia housing the most data centers out of any state at around 500.
Furthermore, these data centers also use up tons of raw materials and rare elements that are often unsustainably sourced in mines. For example, drive boards require dysprosium, neodymium, ytrium, gallium, indium, and tungsten, which are not commonly found. Additionally, these data centers produce lots of electronic waste, which contains hazardous substances such as mercury and lead that can contaminate soil and water, ultimately harming human health.
So, what do we make of all of this? In our ever-evolving world, it is extremely difficult to completely rid our lives of AI, and honestly, that's not a bad thing since AI is a significant human achievement and has allowed for the progression of technology in so many aspects. However, it is important that we make the right choices when it comes to AI as consumers.
Firstly, although programs like ChatGPT are able to provide super efficient and helpful answers within seconds, these chat bot programs require so much more energy to power. In fact, according to a report done by investment banking company Goldman Sachs, a single ChatGPT query takes up to ten times more energy compared to a Google search. That being said, avoid utilizing chat bots for simple questions that can be searched with a traditional Google search.
Secondly, support tech initiatives that are dedicated to using more sustainable energy sources. For instance, tech giants like Google and Microsoft are committed to carbon neutral data centers with renewable energy, and Nvidia, the computer manufacturing corporation, plans to purchase or generate enough renewable energy to match 100% of its global electricity usage.
Thirdly, it is important that we deal with the physical elements of our technology in a sustainable manner. By recycling our old electronics and reducing e-waste, we can minimize the environmental damage caused by hardware. Additionally, like many things, it is always best to try to repair your electronics before buying new ones to avoid wasting more.
However, I also want to mention some of the great things that AI has done for the climate crisis.
According to the World Economic Forum, some AI technologies are able to measure changes in icebergs 10,000 times faster than a human, and thus are able to help scientists understand how much water from melting icebergs is going into the ocean. Furthermore, AI program Space Intelligence, based in Scotland, is helping to locate deforestation and has mapped over 1 million hectares of land using satellite data. Gray Parrot, a software startup based in London, has an AI system that analyzes waste processing and recycling facilities to help them identify and recycle more material.
It is clear that generative AI has opened tons of incredible opportunities for improvement regarding climate change, but it's also a huge source to the worsening climate crisis in and of itself. AI is far from being a completely sustainable form of technology, but by being mindful of how we use AI, supporting companies that are heading in the right direction, and properly treating, repairing, and recycling our electronics, we as consumers can minimize the harmful environmental effects.
