To develop a new Artificial Intelligence model, it needs to be trained. This is done by processing a large amount of data several times until the model works.
With AI models becoming more complex, larger datasets are required to fully operationalize the model. This is taking significant amounts of computing power, and thus, electricity.
In a study at the University of Massachusetts, researchers found “that the process can emit more than 626,000 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent—nearly five times the lifetime emissions of the average American car (and that includes manufacture of the car itself). “
Similar issues have been raised with Blockchain mining, in particular Bitcoin.
To see the article: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/613630/training-a-single-ai-model-can-emit-as-much-carbon-as-five-cars-in-their-lifetimes
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