A survey by CloudNine PR shows that 83% of UK adults are aware of generative AI tools, and 45% of those familiar with them want companies to be transparent about the environmental costs associated with the technologies.
With data centres burning vast amounts of energy, the growing demand for GenAI has sparked a debate about its sustainability.
The cost of intelligence: Generative AI’s carbon footprint
Behind every AI-generated email, idea, or recommendation are data centres running thousands of energy-hungry servers. Data centres are responsible for both training the large language models that power generative AI and processing individual user queries. Unlike a simple Google search, which uses relatively little energy, a single generative AI request can consume up to ten times as much electricity.
The numbers are staggering. If all nine billion daily Google searches worldwide were replaced with generative AI tasks, the additional electricity demand would match the annual energy consumption of 1.5 million EU residents. According to consultants Morgan Stanley, the energy demands of generative AI are expected to grow by 70% annually until 2027. By that point, the energy required to support generative AI systems could rival the electricity needs of an entire country—Spain, for example, based on its 2022 usage.
UK consumers want greener AI practices
The survey also highlights growing awareness among UK consumers about the environmental implications of generative AI. Nearly one in five respondents said they don’t trust generative AI providers to manage their environmental impact responsibly. Among regular users of these tools, 10% expressed a willingness to pay a premium for products or services that prioritise energy efficiency and sustainability.
Interestingly, over a third (35%) of respondents think generative AI tools should “actively remind” users of their environmental impact. While this appears like a small step, it has the potential to encourage more mindful usage and place pressure on companies to adopt greener technologies.
Efforts to tackle the environmental challenge
Fortunately, some companies and policymakers are beginning to address these concerns. In the United States, the Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act was introduced earlier this year. The legislation aims to standardise how AI companies measure and report carbon emissions. It also provides a voluntary framework for developers to evaluate and disclose their systems’ environmental impact, pushing the industry towards greater transparency.
Major players in the tech industry are also stepping up. Companies like Salesforce have voiced support for legislation requiring standardised methods to measure and report AI’s carbon footprint. Experts point to several practical ways to reduce generative AI’s environmental impact, including adopting energy-efficient hardware, using sustainable cooling methods in data centres, and transitioning to renewable energy sources.
Despite these efforts, the urgency to address generative AI’s environmental impact remains critical. As Uday Radia, owner of CloudNine PR, puts it: “Generative AI has huge potential to make our lives better, but there is a race against time to make it more sustainable before it gets out of control.”
(Photo by Unsplash)
See also: The AI revolution: Reshaping data centres and the digital landscape
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