Tech giants like Microsoft and Google have seen their greenhouse gas emissions increase significantly due to AI, with a 48% and 29% rise respectively. Luccioni calls for more transparency from tech companies and believes that governments could help by legislating once they have a clear understanding of the data sets and how the algorithms are trained. She also advocates for "energy sobriety," choosing the right tools and using them judiciously to mitigate the environmental impact of AI.
Key takeaways:
- Generative artificial intelligence uses 30 times more energy than a traditional search engine, contributing significantly to environmental impact.
- AI and cryptocurrency sectors consumed nearly 460 terawatt hours of electricity in 2022, which is two percent of total global production.
- Sasha Luccioni, a leading researcher on the impact of AI on climate, is working on a certification system for algorithms to encourage energy efficiency.
- Luccioni calls for more transparency from tech companies and believes that governments could play a role in legislating once transparency is achieved.