Watts and Bots: impact of AI

[DrBob2]

Study Says AI’s Climate Footprint Is Far Smaller Than Feared

The researchers merged U.S. economic data with estimates of AI integration across industries to assess the environmental implications of continued adoption along current trends. Although AI’s electricity consumption in the United States is comparable to the total national energy use of Iceland, this amount remains negligible when viewed at national or global scales.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. economy still relies on petroleum, natural gas, and coal, with approximately 83 percent of its energy needs met by these sources. Within this context, the incremental demand from AI has little impact on shifting the overall emissions profile…

“Aggregated across the economy, AI adoption could lead to an additional 28 PJ of energy use and 896 ktCO2 in emissions annually–equivalent to approximately 0.03% of annual national energy use and 0.02% of annual national CO2 emissions.”

DB2

[Goofyhoofy]

@DrBob2

AI adoption could lead to an additional 28 PJ of energy use and 896 ktCO2 in emissions annually–equivalent to approximately 0.03% of annual national energy use and 0.02% of annual national CO2 emissions.”

Do not be concerned, I said to the frog. Turning up the flame will increase the temperature in the pan by only 0.03%.

For now.

[DrBob2]

@Goofyhoofy

Turning up the flame will increase the temperature in the pan by only 0.03%. For now.

The increase in emissions is so small that even if the authors’ estimate is off by an order of magnitude, the increase would be by a factor 0.002 – in other words, a rounding error.

DB2