Roundtables: Putting AI’s Climate Impact Into Perspective

Available only for MIT Alumni and subscribers.

Recorded on September 25, 2024

Putting AI’s Climate Impact Into Perspective

Speakers: David Rotman, Editor-at-large, Melissa Heikkilä, Senior AI Reporter, and James Temple, Sr Editor for Energy

The rise of AI comes with a growing carbon footprint and an increased demand for electricity. Analysts project that AI could drive up data centers’ energy consumption by 160% this decade. So how worried should we be about AI’s electricity demands and carbon emissions? How can this technology be used responsibly in the face of the climate crisis? Hear from editor-at-large David Rotman, senior AI reporter Melissa Heikkilä, and senior editor for energy James Temple for a conversation exploring the energy trade-offs involved in AI.

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