The raging California wildfires have sparked conversation about Artificial Intelligence's role in harming the environment. With the exponential growth of AI and increasing usage in college-level students, the environment's future may be in danger. It has become critical for students to understand what goes on behind-the-scenes of AI and its environmental impact.
Anjana Susarla, professor in Responsible AI at Michigan State University explained that AI, such as ChatGPT, is powered off of AI models. To train these models, large scale datasets across the internet are collected and used in advanced machine learning algorithms to identify and learn patterns within that data, Susarla said. Because of AI's rate of evolution, more and more high-spec training is demanded of it. More computing power is needed for its production and adequate training.
“The cost of training these AI models is significantly higher than the costs of using the AI models,” Susarla said.
In the process of training these AI computer models, close to 300,000 gallons of water are needed daily to regulate the temperatures of the computers, using tremendous amounts of energy, Susarla said. These AI models are trained in data centers, large facilities located often on the coast of a large body of water. Data centers require a tremendous number of resources.
“AI requires increased computing power, and increased computing power requires using more resources, such as land, water and energy,” James Madison Professor and environmental expert Mark Axelrod said.
Axelrod said there is also a positive side AI's impacts on the environment.
“Something as powerful as AI also could be useful to environmental scientists in terms of building and analyzing models," Axelrod said. "It’s also been useful in some places for identifying compliance failures and finding out if people are violating environmental rules."
Axelrod pointed out that the large scale of the environment and climate change makes it difficult to put an exact numerical figure on AI’s environmental impact. Due to the vast number of factors that play a role, the future is uncertain.
Since the California wildfires have become worldwide news, more people have started to express concern for the environment. This is especially true in relation to AI and its possible environmental effects. Some also worry about the lack of understanding when it comes to AI and its connection with the environment. Art education sophomore Katie Freers stresses the importance of learning about this topic.
"AI influences how you view the environment, it can help people form opinions about the environment, and can help people research environmental issues," Freers said.
Susarla agreed that the impact of AI on the environment is a complicated issue that people must strive to understand.
“We have to educate ourselves and understand the tradeoffs of AI,” Susarla said.
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