4 Big AI Sustainability Prospects, and One Big Problem

When more than 1,000 tech leaders signed an open letter calling for a pause on fast-moving advancements in AI early this month, they laid bare the ethical dilemma posed by language learning models and possible dire workforce impacts. But often lost in the talk of dystopian outcomes is the impact the new technology could have on the near-universal drive for a more sustainable future.

According to a 2019 report by PwC and Microsoft, AI’s role could be a major factor in future sustainability efforts. “If harnessed in the right way, emerging technologies, with AI at the vanguard, could be transformational in efforts to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges,” the report says. “Examples include AI-infused clean distributed energy grids, to smart urban mobility, precision agriculture, sustainable supply chains, environmental monitoring and enforcement, and enhanced weather and disaster prediction and response.”

In the following slides, InformationWeek looks at ways AI could prove to be crucial for effective sustainability solutions. (The last slide focuses on one big caveat to all the promise AI holds for a sustainable future).