Artificial intelligence, while hailed as a climate crisis solution, may actually worsen it by increasing energy consumption and spreading climate misinformation, a group of environmental organizations cautions. In short:Environmental groups challenge the optimistic view of AI in combating climate change, pointing out its potential to increase energy use significantly. AI's energy demands, particularly for data centers, could boost carbon emissions by 80%, despite improvements in energy efficiency. The technology also poses a risk of spreading climate disinformation, undermining efforts to address the climate crisis. The development and operation of AI systems require significant energy, highlighting the need for these systems to be powered by renewable energy sources.

Source: Washington Post March 11, 2024 11:01 UTC