Artificial Intelligence: Climate Friend or Foe?

While AI can aid in climate resilience and boost economic competitiveness, it is also on a trajectory to increase energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage. This paradox presents an important opportunity for discussion on how to best minimize the negative impacts of AI on the environment and harness its powers for a sustainable future. 

This briefing will provide a foundational understanding of AI’s role in the climate and energy arena. Panelists will discuss the massive energy and water needs of data centers that run AI algorithms. They will also lay out how the technology is already being put to use—from precision agriculture to resilient grid infrastructure and improved weather forecasting. The briefing will highlight the frontiers of AI, including the federal government’s role in research and development at the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories, and will explore Congress’s role in aligning the rapid rise of AI development and usage with global goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts.

A live webcast will be streamed at www.eesi.org/livecast.