Contrary to popular belief, new research finds that the use of artificial intelligence has a minimal effect on global greenhouse gas emissions and may actually benefit the environment and the economy.
Contrary to popular belief, new research finds that the use of artificial intelligence has a minimal effect on global greenhouse gas emissions and may actually benefit the environment and the economy.
For their study, researchers from the University of Waterloo and the Georgia Institute of Technology combined data on the U.S. economy with estimates of AI use across industries to determine the environmental fallout if AI use continues its current trajectory.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 83 per cent of the U.S. economy is powered by petroleum, coal and natural gas, all of which contribute to climate change when burned. The study authors found that while power usage from AI in the U.S. equalled the energy consumption for all of Iceland, the amounts were not noticeable on a global or national scale.
Read More: University of Waterloo
