The Uneven Distribution of AI’s Environmental Impacts

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The training process for a single AI model, such as an LLM, can consume thousands of megawatt hours of electricity and emit hundreds of tons of carbon. AI model training can also lead to the

The adoption of artificial intelligence has been rapidly accelerating across all parts of society, bringing the potential to address shared global challenges such as climate change and drought mitigation. Yet underlying the excitement surrounding AI’s transformative potential are increasingly large and energy-intensive deep neural networks. And the growing demands of these complex models are raising concerns about AI’s environmental impact.