Introduction to AI and Climate Change
A study from the London School of Economics and Systemiq suggests it’s possible to cut global carbon emissions without giving up modern comforts—with AI as our ally in the climate fight. According to the duo’s research, smart AI applications in just three industries could slash greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2-5.4 billion tonnes each year by 2035. In contrast to much of what we’ve heard, these reductions would far outweigh the carbon that AI itself produces.
Net-Zero as an Opportunity, Not a Burden
The researchers suggest we should see the shift to a net-zero economy not as a burden but as “a great opportunity for innovation and sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economic growth.” They focused on three of the major carbon culprits – power generation, meat and dairy production, and passenger vehicles – which together cause almost half of global emissions. The potential AI savings from just these sectors would more than cancel out the estimated 0.4 to 1.6 billion tonnes of annual emissions from running all those AI data centers.
Five Big Ways AI Can Help Save Our Planet (and Us)
AI can help in various ways:
- Making Complex Systems Smarter: AI can redesign intricate networks for energy, transport, and city living to work much more efficiently. For example, AI can help predict fluctuations in renewable energy and balance them with real-time demand.
- Speeding Up Discovery and Reducing Waste: AI can turbocharge breakthroughs in new technologies, such as renewable energy and battery storage. For instance, Google DeepMind’s GNOME tool has already identified over two million new crystal structures that could revolutionise these fields.
- Helping Us Make Better Choices: AI can be our personal environmental coach, breaking down information barriers and offering tailored recommendations. Already, Google Maps’ fuel-efficient routes and smart home systems like Nest use AI to optimise our daily choices.
- Predicting Climate Changes and Policy Effects: AI can process enormous datasets to forecast climate patterns with unprecedented accuracy, helping communities and businesses prepare. Tools like IceNet are using AI to predict sea ice levels better than ever before.
- Keeping Us Safe in Extreme Weather: AI-powered systems for floods and wildfires are becoming essential safety nets. Google’s Flood Hub uses machine learning to provide flood forecasts up to five days in advance across more than 80 countries.
The Numbers Support AI Cutting Global Carbon Emissions
When researchers crunched the numbers, they found AI could:
- Cut power sector emissions by 1.8 billion tonnes yearly by 2035 just by optimising renewable energy
- Save between 0.9 and 3.0 billion tonnes annually by improving plant-based proteins to taste and feel more like meat
- Reduce vehicle emissions by up to 0.6 billion tonnes each year through shared mobility and better battery technology
Conclusion
The study concludes that AI has the potential to transform our entire economy into something sustainable and inclusive. However, we can’t just sit back and let market forces determine how AI develops. Governments have a critical role in ensuring that AI is deployed effectively to accelerate the transition equitably and sustainably. By guiding innovation and working together internationally, we can unlock AI’s full potential to reduce global carbon emissions and tackle the climate crisis—and build a future where both people and the planet can thrive.
FAQs
Q: How can AI help reduce global carbon emissions?
A: AI can help reduce global carbon emissions by optimising renewable energy, improving plant-based proteins, and reducing vehicle emissions.
Q: What are the three major carbon culprits that AI can help with?
A: The three major carbon culprits are power generation, meat and dairy production, and passenger vehicles.
Q: How can AI help us make better choices?
A: AI can be our personal environmental coach, breaking down information barriers and offering tailored recommendations to help us make better choices.
Q: What is the potential of AI in predicting climate changes and policy effects?
A: AI can process enormous datasets to forecast climate patterns with unprecedented accuracy, helping communities and businesses prepare.
Q: How can AI help keep us safe in extreme weather?
A: AI-powered systems for floods and wildfires are becoming essential safety nets, providing forecasts and warnings to help us prepare and evacuate if necessary.
