Implications of Artificial Intelligence-Related Data Center Electricity Use and Emissions

In recent years, the global adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has spurred significant construction and investment in new data centers and cloud computing. These data centers require large-scale continuous power, posing challenges for local electric grids and broader climate goals.

The National Academies hosted a 2-day workshop to explore how to map, measure, and mitigate the impacts of AI data center electricity usage. Speakers from the computing industry, utilities, and government discussed how recent AI developments can impact energy demands, identify options to mitigate increased electricity use and emissions, and consider regional implications related to data center siting and renewable resource availability. Scroll down to rewatch the workshop and access speaker materials.

This event was organized through the National Academies Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.