Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other forms of technology are transforming the world, offering immense potential to revolutionise industries, improve quality of life, and drive economic growth. However, this progress brings with it oft-ignored environmental consequences. The use of AI has a significant impact on the environment, particularly in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions. AI applications, such as machine learning and natural language processing, require extensive computational resources to operate, leading to a considerable increase in energy consumption. 

These resources are typically housed in data centres that require massive amounts of electricity to run, resulting in increased carbon emissions from power generation. There is the water wastage aspect to consider as well. ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI, is estimated to consume a staggering 500ml of water for just 20-50 questions. It has been reported that approximately 700,000 litres of water were used in the training of GPT-3, highlighting the significant environmental cost that comes with the development and operation of AI technology. 

In addition, the manufacture and disposal of AI-related hardware contribute to the growing problem of electronic waste, which is difficult to recycle and can release toxic substances into the environment. But thanks in-part to the overwhelming anti-plastic narrative, tech waste isn’t the immediate priority for most Southeast Asians when recently surveyed as part of our AI and sustainability series. A mere 13% consider tech wastage as the worst among other things that are bad for the environment. 

Energy consumption and carbon emissions

Today, data centres are accountable for an estimated 3% of global electricity consumption, and this figure is expected to soar to 4% by the year 2030. This growth in energy consumption has resulted in a corresponding increase in carbon emissions. According to a report by Greenpeace, the IT sector is responsible for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure that is logically expected to increase year on year.

The rise in energy consumption and carbon emissions has prompted calls for more sustainable solutions to be developed. Some companies, such as Google and Microsoft, have pledged to achieve carbon neutrality or net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Other companies are exploring the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power to power their data centers.

What a (E)-waste!

Another significant environmental challenge posed by AI and tech is the issue of electronic waste, or e-waste. As technology advances and devices become more sophisticated, they become more difficult to repair or recycle. This has led to a growing amount of e-waste that ends up in landfills or is exported to developing countries where it is often disposed in an unsafe manner. Our survey, too, shows that recycling tech products isn’t the greatest priority for Southeast Asians. 

According to a report by the United Nations, the world generated 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste in 2019, a figure that is expected to increase to 74.7 million metric tons by 2030. The report also found that only 17.4% of this e-waste was collected and recycled, meaning that the vast majority of it ended up in landfills or was not disposed correctly. To address the issue of e-waste, some companies are exploring more sustainable design practices, such as modular design and the use of recyclable materials. Governments are also implementing regulations to encourage the responsible disposal of e-waste and to promote the development of more sustainable electronics, but as with all such initiatives, there’s always more to be done. 

There is a silver lining to this looming AI cloud though. AI can come to the rescue of AI, as ironic as that may sound. AI-enabled systems can optimise energy consumption in buildings and data centres, reducing energy waste and carbon emissions. AI can also improve the efficiency of transportation systems, leading to a reduction in carbon emissions from transportation. Furthermore, AI can be used to predict and mitigate the impact of climate change, helping to prevent or minimize the impact of natural disasters. So, as ever, a balance is really what we need instead of a doom and gloom outlook. 

While great advances in tech often come at a cost to the environment, this impact can be minimised with the right strategies that ensure a harmony between tech innovation, sustainability, and profitability. To understand how we can work together on this, drop us a note at connect@blackbox.com.sg