The Environmental Impact of AI: What You Need to Know
Hey everyone, Theresa the AI quilter here!
Earth Day is April 22, so we’re talking about something that often gets overlooked in the excitement—the environmental impact of AI. This is an important conversation, but especially for anyone who cares about sustainability and the future of our planet. As AI continues to evolve, it’s crucial to discuss its effect on energy consumption, carbon footprint, and potential role in sustainability.
AI and Energy Consumption
Let’s start with the facts.
Artificial Intelligence requires significant computing power so it requires a lot of electricity to power the data centers, and uses large amounts of water for cooling them—especially during the training phase.
Unfortunately, today when we talk about electricity production and powering cooling systems, we are often talking about fossil fuels like coal or petroleum that leave a large carbon footprint. The cooling systems contend with the need for large amounts of water that will often evaporate due to the heat, so it’s water-intensive as well.
But here’s the thing: AI isn’t the only technology contributing to the problem.
The Bigger Picture
AI is just one piece of a much bigger technology and environment puzzle. Every day we use more technology to streamline our lives and our careers, and it all contributes to our increasing digital carbon footprint. Do you do any of these things?
✅ Stream videos
✅ Send emails
✅ Store photos and files in the cloud
✅ Perform internet searches
✅ Pay your bills using online banking
If so, you’re using the same energy-intensive data center infrastructure as AI. These kinds of technologies use cloud computing, blockchain, and big data, all of which increase global energy consumption. That’s why sustainable tech practices are more important than ever before.
So, what’s being done about it?
Responsibility and Solutions
Many tech companies have begun to transition their electricity needs away from fossil fuels to
renewable energy. To provide transparency, anyone interested can look at the annual reports
of any publicly owned company, where they share their sustainability efforts, goals, and achievements
to see if they’re moving to renewable energy and how fast. And to shareholders’ credit, they are starting to demand it.
All things considered, data centers are beginning to implement closed-loop cooling systems to help with
the volume of water used. What is closed-loop cooling? It’s a system that uses sealed loops of pipe to contain coolants
(in this case water). This technology helps reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation, contamination, and waste.
GeekWire posted an article in December 2024 that shows how Microsoft is starting to design their data centers with
closed-loop water systems.
Still, AI companies shouldn’t get a free pass. Developers need to prioritize using renewable energy,
optimizing efficiency, and finding ways to reduce their carbon footprint. As users, we can demand transparency
and accountability from tech companies to ensure they’re making sustainable choices.
AI As a Sustainability Tool
The good news? AI itself can also help fight climate change and find solutions to its most pressing problems. It’s being used to:
🌍 Optimize energy grids to reduce waste
🥦 Cut down food waste in supply chains
📊 Improve climate modeling for better predictions
By leveraging AI for environmental conservation, we can balance its impact and maximize its benefits.
The Key Takeaway
Should we be concerned about AI’s environmental impact? Absolutely. As it has been noted, AI isn’t the enemy—like I always say, it’s another tool. The real challenge is making sure we use all technology, including AI, responsibly while pushing for systemic changes to reduce our digital footprint.
What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, technology, and sustainability!