Why Did AI Take Center Stage at COP28?
At the latest UN-backed climate summit, COP28, held in Dubai in late 2023, attendees deliberated over the contentious impact of artificial intelligence on accelerating climate changes.
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The extensive integration of AI could position large language models as major global energy consumers. However, implementing AI across various sectors might offer a reduction in current emission levels by around 10%. Humanity stands at the crossroads, seeking a balance between these contrasting potentials of AI.
For example, by 2027, AI servers are estimated to consume between 85-134 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year. This represents less than 1% of global electricity consumption and is comparable to the annual power usage of countries like Argentina, the Netherlands, or Sweden.
The crucial aspect here is the energy source for these terawatts required by AI. It can come from either fossil fuels or renewable resources. Brad Smith, the President of Microsoft, highlighted that his company is focusing on enhancing the sustainability of its data centers, including transitioning to green energy sources.
“We need to maximize the benefits this can create across the economy, including for sustainability, and make sure that it’s all fueled by carbon-free energy with more energy-efficient data centers. Can I do a mathematical equation? Not yet,” he admitted.
So, what benefits is he referring to? At the COP28 summit, the United Nations and Microsoft Corporation unveiled a significant new partnership. Their goal is to establish an AI-based platform for collecting and analyzing global climate data. This innovative tool will provide UN member states with crucial capabilities to monitor reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, offering detailed insights both country-wise and by pollution sources such as transportation, agriculture, and heavy industries. Moreover, AI will assist in formulating emission reduction strategies for the participant countries, involving sophisticated modeling, benchmarking, and data visualization. Microsoft is set to invest about $3 million in this initiative.
In addition, COP28 highlighted advancements demonstrating the application of AI in renewable and conventional energy sectors. A comprehensive roadmap, prepared by researchers from Columbia University, was presented, detailing AI's role in reducing CO2 emissions across various industries.
David Sandalow, one of these researchers, expressed his amazement at AI's capability to rapidly create new eco-friendly materials for the energy sector.
“When Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, he physically took different metals to test how they would react to electric charges — it took him months to identify the best options. Today, with A.I. tools, we can test a million different options in a second and … accelerate the pace of innovation,” he noted.
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