Sustainable AI is an oxymoron right now.
By David Linthicum
Internationally Known AI and Cloud Computing Thought Leader and Influencer
Sustainability was once a highly touted advantage in public cloud computing. Enterprises and cloud providers flaunted their green initiatives, promoting data centers powered by renewable energy that would reduce carbon footprints. This topic has quietly slipped off the radar in recent months. The culprit? The insatiable demand for artificial intelligence capabilities that is pushing the significant expansion of cloud data center footprints. It’s a reality many would prefer not to highlight.
Does a desire for AI technology trump the health of the planet? Right now, you can’t have both. A stellar sustainability record will not offset massive data center construction no matter how many solar panels and electric car chargers you have at HQ.
The rise of AI has been nothing short of meteoric. Enterprises are vigorously adopting generative AI to automate processes, glean insights from big data, and offer personalized customer experiences. Such advancements come at a cost. AI applications require immense processing power, increasing demand for data center capacity. Complex AI models are voracious energy consumers. This type of consumption is at odds with the sustainability narrative that the cloud industry once touted. Today, enterprises and cloud providers actively avoid conversations about sustainability.