(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) CARBON FOOTPRINT OF AI


(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) CARBON FOOTPRINT OF AI

(APRIL-2024)


CARBON FOOTPRINT OF AI

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) has enormous promise for addressing difficult problems, such as the climate catastrophe.

Key details

  • Source of Emissions: AI systems generate carbon emissions from the infrastructure needed to operate them, particularly data centers that handle vast amounts of data for training and maintenance.

  • Environmental Impact: Training large AI models can be highly energy-intensive. For instance, training a predecessor to ChatGPT resulted in carbon emissions comparable to driving over 100 gasoline-powered cars for a year.

  • Technological Solutions: Research into spiking neural networks (SNNs) and lifelong learning (L2) offers promise for reducing AI’s carbon footprint. SNNs, in particular, may be a more energy-efficient alternative to traditional artificial neural networks (ANNs).

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) 

  • Function: ANNs process and learn patterns from data, allowing them to make predictions.

  • Computational Demands: ANNs require significant computing power, memory, and time during training and inference due to the high number of multiplications with decimal numbers.

  • Precision-Memory Trade-off: There is a trade-off between processing speed and memory usage in hardware. High-precision decimal calculations in ANNs necessitate more memory, leading to increased energy consumption.

  • Complexity and Energy Consumption: As ANNs grow more complex, the number of calculations increases exponentially, resulting in a substantial rise in energy demands.

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Courtesy: Science Reporter