Environmental groups embrace AI, even as they warn of data center impacts

Environmental and conservation organisations are adopting AI to analyse climate data, monitor fires and count wildlife, despite warning that the data centres powering the technology increase electricity use, water demand and emissions. They say AI can speed up work that was previously difficult or impractical, but face questions about whether its benefits justify its environmental costs.

All 15 major environmental, conservation and development groups interviewed said they use AI and are concerned about data centres’ impact. By 2030, global data centres could use 945 terawatt-hours of electricity a year and 1.2 trillion litres of water annually, according to projections cited in the article. In Kenya, AI reviewed aerial survey images in hours; manual review of about 200,000 images had taken nine people nine months, and the AI analysis found earlier surveys had missed substantial numbers of animals.