{"id":84220,"date":"2023-12-06T11:02:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T15:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carilec.org\/?p=84220"},"modified":"2023-12-06T11:02:02","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T15:02:02","slug":"power-mad-ais-massive-energy-demand-risks-causing-major-environmental-headaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carilec.org\/power-mad-ais-massive-energy-demand-risks-causing-major-environmental-headaches\/","title":{"rendered":"Power mad: AI\u2019s massive energy demand risks causing major environmental headaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0<\/span>Ben Payton<\/a><\/p>\n

November 28 – Artificial intelligence might seem like an ethereal force, transforming the global economy while remaining invisible to billions of people whose lives it transforms. But while AI exists in cyberspace, it also leaves a huge physical footprint in the real world.<\/p>\n

Every time an AI application crunches numbers, analyses data or answers questions, it uses a \u201cgraphic processing unit\u201d. These GPUs, which are usually stored within servers located in data centres, consume around\u00a0four times as much power<\/a>\u00a0as the servers used for cloud applications.<\/p>\n

This means data centres\u2019 power consumption is set to massively increase.\u00a0McKinsey estimates\u00a0<\/a>that the power needs of U.S. data centres will balloon from 17 gigawatts (GW) in 2022, to 35 GW by 2030.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s going to put such a strain on resources, particularly on power infrastructure, let alone data centre capacity infrastructure,\u201d says Dominic Ward, chief executive of data centre company Verne Global.<\/p>\n

Data centres in some countries are already under fire for consuming more than their fair share of resources. In March this year, the irate boss of a Norwegian armaments company\u00a0blamed \u201cthe storage of cat videos\u201d<\/a>\u00a0for impeding plans to ramp up production of munitions for Ukraine. TikTok data centres near the company\u2019s factory meant not enough electricity was available to allow production to expand, he said.<\/p>\n

Data centres generally also consume large quantities of water in their cooling systems. AI will exacerbate this further, since power-intensive GPUs have greater cooling requirements than conventional servers. Microsoft\u2019s water usage\u00a0increased by 34%\u00a0<\/a>in 2022, a trend that analysts have pinned to the corporation\u2019s growing investment in generative AI.<\/p>\n

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On the positive side, the data centre industry has proved in recent years that it can improve efficiency.<\/p>\n

\u201cData centres now are incredibly efficient at managing heat \u2013 they’ve got very, very efficient cooling systems,\u201d says Andrew Jay, head of EMEA data centre solutions at CBRE, a provider of data centre services. From an efficiency perspective, he adds, \u201ca brand-new data centre is the most fabulous place\u201d for a server to sit.<\/p>\n

Jay notes that servers typically have two power cords but suggests that AI equipment may be developed with only a single power feed. This could boost efficiency by enabling data centres to discard unnecessary electrical infrastructure, he says. And AI applications could themselves help to manage data centres\u2019 power usage to reduce strain on electricity grids.<\/p>\n

But the key factor in satisfying data centres\u2019 power demands sustainably is the availability of renewable energy.<\/p>\n

Certain regions therefore have a distinct advantage in attracting data centres. Verne Global operates facilities in Iceland, where the electricity grid is entirely powered by renewables, and Finland, which also has a largely low-carbon electricity network. The cold climate across the Nordic region is another a major bonus, as it reduces the need for cooling systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeography is really important,\u201d says Ward. Selecting a Nordic location, he says, is an ideal way for companies with applications that consume high power to reduce their carbon footprints.<\/p>\n

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The drawback to remote locations is that a greater distance between a data centre and its customers\u2019 operations results in a slower connection speed. The Nordics, however, have mitigated this \u201clatency\u201d problem through improved fibre-optic connections with leading markets.<\/p>\n

And Ward emphasises that AI applications mostly do not need to use data centres located in urban areas. This is especially true for their \u201ctraining\u201d needs, the processes through which the application is taught how to analyse data or recognise patterns. It is only the inference functions, where a ChatGPT-style app responds in real time to a user\u2019s questions, that rely on an ultra-low latency connection.<\/p>\n

Ward says that data centre customers need to \u201cthink about the best place for a given application.\u201d He acknowledges that some latency-sensitive applications might need an urban location. \u201cBut the training and the very dense workloads \u2013 they\u2019ve got to sit in a more efficient environment. And if they don’t, we’re going to put such enormous strain on the power grids throughout not just Europe, but the planet, that we’re going to have real problems coming up over the next five to 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

The problem of data centre electricity usage is such that Microsoft is preparing to deploy nuclear energy, in the form of small modular reactors, to power some of its data centres.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like a bit of an extreme solution,\u201d says Alex de Vries, a Dutch data scientist who recently published an academic paper that raised concerns over the environmental consequences of AI and data centres.<\/p>\n

De Vries argues that data centre expansion will inevitably lead to increased use of fossil fuels. While noting that many data centre customers prioritise green electricity, he says \u201cif they manage to take those renewable energy sources, it just means you have to power something else with fossil fuels.\u201d<\/p>\n

The solution, de Vries argues, is \u201ccommon sense\u201d in deciding whether energy-intensive AI applications are really needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s going to be plenty of applications where AI just doesn’t make any sense at all,\u201d he says. \u201cThis year we\u2019ve seen so much hype and a lot of fear of missing out \u2013 everyone’s just pushing AI into their products regardless of whether it’s a good idea. That’s ultimately where the real waste is.\u201d<\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/strong> \"\"<\/p>\n

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