Green AI- Can AI and Environmental Sustainability Coexist?

Adopting AI development trends for environmental sustainability is the need of the hour. But what ways are there to achieve environmental goals with AI? Let’s find out!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that has seen growth with an unimaginable speed. From fintech companies to customer service experts, today, AI has become the favorite of all. A report by the research firm IDC suggests, by 2024, the global AI market might be worth half a trillion USD.

Now, to understand the popularity of artificial intelligence applications for environmental welfare, we will discuss how AI algorithms can be used to achieve long-term sustainability for the planet.

So, if you find the topic interesting, stay with us until the end of this blog. But before diving deeper, let’s understand the term “Green AI” that is often used to describe the principles of the technology.

What is Green AI?

As the name suggests, Green AI is another term used to describe artificial intelligence that is used to benefit the environment. Green AI techniques are used to make regular processes more eco-friendly. For instance, Green AI is expanding into areas such as energy generation, agriculture, protection of endangered species, and more.

One of the many real-life examples of Green AI can include Green AI Cloud. The cost-effective cloud computing model is designed to ensure that its processing and outcomes are reducing the carbon footprint of businesses. Its services are proven to reduce the CO2 footprint by using fossil-free fuels like wind or water energies.

Impact of AI on the environment

Before we understand the environment with artificial intelligence sustainability, let’s have a look at the impact of AI on the environment. In other words, let’s find out how much of the approximate carbon footprints are generated by AI.

The impact of AI can vary depending on the computing resources a particular AI environment is using. As some applications of AI demand huge computing power, it also increases the demand for other factors like power to support cooling systems, data storage systems, servers, and more.

How can AI benefit the environment?

To understand AI sustainability from the perspective of environmental benefits, let’s simply understand a few examples of already existing benefits of AI for the environment.

1. Electric vehicles

The rise of electric vehicles is boosting. Additionally, many countries including the USA, India, the UK, and Canada, among others are adapting or developing environments to support the culture of electric vehicles. Now, as the increasing adaption of electric vehicles reduces the dependency on fossil fuels, it is good for the environment, and from an economical point of view, it is cost-efficient for customers too.

To make the environment sustainable with artificial intelligence and electric vehicles, techniques such as traffic optimization, route optimization, driving pattern, and more can be used. Overall, AI can help in figuring out ways that result in better efficiency but less resource consumption.

2. Natural disaster alerts

Modern AI developments are smart enough to use historical data, real-time data, and predictive analytics to predict any upcoming disasters. AI is already used to generate weather reports for any possible weather changes in the upcoming days. Now, it also helps in making better decisions that are also environmentally beneficial. For instance, with the help of AI, it can be predicted how global warming is impacting the weather and what steps can be taken to avoid occurrences that are not normal.

For another example of AI and environmental sustainability, we can take references to the seismic data that is used to predict possible earthquakes in a region. Japan is one of the countries utilizing AI applications to keep an eye on upcoming earthquakes and other such disasters.

3. Smarter energy management

AI’s contribution to smarter energy management can be considered as one of the crucial ways of achieving environmental sustainability. AI can help businesses, big or large, in reducing their consumption of energies such as fossil fuels or electricity. It does not only benefits the environment but also reduces the investment of organizations.

With the help of insights generated from big data and machine learning algorithms, AI is capable of predicting the best possible ways of energy preservation. Take C3 AI Energy Management tools for reference. The tool is capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 to 40% while also reducing the energy consumption cost by 15 to 30% in parallel. AI-supported insights can also help keep hardware and software health in check, especially when they are directly impacting energy consumption.

4. Smarter agriculture

Agriculture can be one of the major sectors that suffer the impact of changes in the climate. With the help of AI in climate change, agricultural systems can achieve better efficiency. AI can also help predict the climate impact on a crop.

Moreover, to protect them from going to waste, these AI-supported tools can be used to find techniques. The agricultural sector can also benefit from the robots powered by AI to crop, protect, and plan agricultural lands to ensure that agriculturers do not suffer any losses while they also maintain eco-friendly ways of agriculture. These ways include a reduction in the usage of pesticides, fertilizers, and more.

5. AI for biodiversity

To protect the environment, biodiversity is the most crucial factor. With AI, planning to protect endangered species can be more efficient. For instance, predicting natural disasters through AI can help in relocating species that are endangered. Moreover, AI can help in tracking the number of animals and keeping records of them easily with the help of long-range cameras and other gear. AI can also help in detecting poachers lurking around to hunt animals with the help of drones and hidden cameras to alert concerned authorities. It is also helpful for forest staff to stay vigilant against possible poacher attacks.

Conclusion- Artificial intelligence sustainability is the need for today

AI-supported measures are the need of society today due to increasing threats of global warming and species extinction. With time, every species have played a crucial role in maintaining the cycle of the planet, and not when we have already lost many species, it is time to take necessary steps to accelerate the preservation of this planet.

On one hand, we are seeing the rapid growth of AI across multiple industries, the impact of artificial intelligence on society from the perspective of environmental preservation requires more encouragement even today. And, to make common people and small-scale businesses more efficient and eco-friendly, governments and concerned authorities will have to guide them through the benefits of AI.

In the end, we hope you found this blog beneficial. If you want to read more informative blogs to improve your knowledge about the digital world, you can read many well-researched articles published on MobileAppDaily.