Subscribe now

Leader and Technology

How to balance energy-hungry AI with the drive towards decarbonisation

Just as the power sector looks set to reach peak carbon emissions, the rise of AI use brings a new pressure on our energy requirements

11 October 2023

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Canadian Press/Shutterstock (14130502e) People walk past an AI sign at the All In artificial intelligence conference Thursday, September 28, 2023 in Montreal. Que Ai Conference Trudeau, Montreal, Canada - 28 Sep 2023

Canadian Press/Shutterstock

IT IS a strange coincidence that as humanity attempts to slash its carbon emissions, it is also rushing to develop a technology that could, in theory, consume an unlimited amount of energy.

Dabbling in counterfactuals is a dangerous game, but you can picture a world in which, having chosen to start tackling climate change properly in the 1990s, we would be just wrapping up the gentle path to net-zero emissions in time for an artificial intelligence boom fuelled by green power. Instead, we find ourselves at risk of running a 21st-century technology on a 20th-century energy supply.

If you live …

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 28th October 2023.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account