A new report from MIT Technology Review has claimed that AI systems could be using more energy than some countries if action isn’t taken to reduce the appetite of big tech firms for energy.
It cites a study that found just one AI query could energy equivalent to 26,000 clicks on a smartphone button, warning that big tech companies aren’t considering the climate impact of AI.
It follows research that showed the energy demands for training some of the largest AI models are akin to running roughly 10,000 US households.
The report calls on big tech to reveal just how much energy their AI uses, and for regulators to investigate the environmental impact of the technology.