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Generative AI is reportedly tripling carbon dioxide emissions from data centers (www.techradar.com)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

66 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20289663

A report from Morgan Stanley suggests the datacenter industry is on track to emit 2.5 billion tons by 2030, which is three times higher than the predictions if generative AI had not come into play.

The extra demand from GenAI will reportedly lead to a rise in emissions from 200 million tons this year to 600 million tons by 2030, thanks largely to the construction of more data centers to keep up with the demand for cloud services.

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[–] [email protected] -3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Does that take into account that AI models will become more efficient with time?

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 days ago (3 children)

If I run some AI model on my GPU and power my computer via solar power and some batteries, am I actually contributing significantly to GHG emissions?

Like what is the embodied energy of an AI model?

As usual, pundits and scientists confuse what is and what could be with the truth. For example plastic recycling isn't possible because "right now economics don't make it profitable". Meaning capitalism is killing us, not plastics. I suspect the same is true for AI.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

There exists an alternative that uses a lot less power. And also that power is going to get spent no matter what anyway.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

and also that power is going to get spent no matter what anyway

Yeah but it leads to higher bills for consumers, and generators can get spun down, and it's keeping fossil fuel plants open, etc.

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